Courtney Pine

Courtney Pine is perhaps the most enigmatic of late 20th century British jazzmen; he has consistently fascinated and frustrated critics with a restless and adventurous musical vision that has brought world music, pop, reggae, electronica, funk, and soul to sit in with the jazz tradition on his recordings. Born in March 1964, Pine spent his youth in London, learning to play multiple instruments, including saxophone (he is proficient on tenor, soprano, and baritone), clarinet, flute, and a host of keyboard instruments. He cut his jazz teeth with the hard bopping Dwarf Steps, before leaving to tour and record with reggae stars General Saint and Clint Eastwood. Pine went back to the jazz root, studying Sonny Rollins' and John Coltrane's improvising styles while participating in drummer John Stevens' jazz workshops before he became a part-time member of The Charlie Watts Orchestra. Pine left to tour with both George Russell and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers before recording his debut album, Journey To The Urge Within for Antilles. That disc propelled Pine into the public consciousness with its U.K. Top Ten smash "Children of the Ghetto." The album was also reviewed favorably in the U.S. and sold respectably.

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