Born of an idea that there was a bit of a vacuum in the middle of Devon where good jazz seemed to pass by, The Cottles Club came to fruition in Sept 2024. Founders Eddie (dr) and Nigel (t.sax) didn’t want just another jam night, it was important right from the start to work hard to bring in good talent to entertain in the ‘accessible’ jazz idiom.

The club started with meetings on 3rd Friday of every month and enjoyed great jazz from a fantastic range of talented musicians. The venue was originally Betty Cottles Inn, then The Countryman Inn. The club has evolved and now chooses venues to suit the artistes we book. Keep an eye on the events calendar to see the venue for any particular event.

At the time of writing, the club has hosted every size of combo from a duo to a full big band. Here’s a flavour of the visiting artistes in the first 12 months of the club:

Exeter Jazz Orchestra big band
Will Paley (alto sax) plus rhythm section
Jacqueline Bourne (vocals with 5 piece band)
Zoe Lambeth (clarinet, vocals, saxes) & Steve Dow (Gtr)
Eddie Kingdom Jazz Collective (7 piece ensemble)
Ralph Freeman Quartet feat. Sam Massey (tpt)
Hilda Clemas & James Clemas (Vocals/keyboards)
Hot House Combo (4 piece trad & upbeat swing & jive)
Neil Maya (Sax guru with 3 piece rhythm section)
Jim Mullen Trio (guitar, drums and hammond organ)
Will Butterworth Trio (piano, bass, drums)
Harry Diplock Trio (gypsy guitars & bass)

And the upcoming events (see ‘Coming Soon’ page) demonstrate a commitment to providing you with some outstanding jazz in the coming months and years.

We look forward to welcoming you soon