Courtney Pine
Courtney Pine, one of Britain’s foremost Jazz musicians, visits the Phil in March and Getintothis’ Del Pike is here to tell us more.
This March, Jazz musician Courtney Pine makes an appearance at the Philharmonic Hall alongside soul singer Omar.
It marks the release of Pine’s new album, Black Notes from the Deep which features collaborations with Omar, and Pine’s return to tenor sax after ten years.
Known primarily for his sax playing, Pine is a multi-instrumentalist who is also adept at flute and clarinet.
Pine has been playing live since 1981 but broke into the British jazz scene with a vengeance with his sublime debut album, Journey to the urge within in 1986. He spearheaded the jazz scene for a number of years and paved the way for others such as Working Week, The Jazz Renegades, The Jazz Defektors and in some ways The Style Council to unleash modern jazz unto the masses.
The mid to late 80s was very much Pine’s time and saw him creating The Jazz Warriors, an ensemble of jazz heavyweights including Orphy Robinson, Cleveland Watkiss and Gary Crosby.
Their first album Out of Many, One People, was considered something of a modern classic on its release and was performed to a stunned audience at the Philharmonic Hall soon after. This writer remembers the evening well, walking out onto Hope Street in awe and enthusing at length with the late, great actor Peter Vaughan.
He collaborated with Trevor Jones on the soundtrack to Alan Parker’s 1987 Supernatural thriller, Angel Heart and even appeared in a 1988 episode of Doctor Who as himself. Pine was everywhere.
Over 15 albums, Pine has taken in world influences including reggae and in his 2015 collaborative album with Zoe Rahman, Song; classic ballads. His 2011 album Europa featured Pine playing just bass baritone. Work with Carrol Thompson and Mica Paris gained Pine reasonable chart success, but his major triumphs have been found in that rich catalogue of solo albums that have continued to enthral for over thirty years now.
The Philharmonic Hall is a perfect venue for Pine’s beautiful music to reverberate around and this is a much welcome return for one of Britain’s foremost jazz musicians.
Omar also makes a welcome return to Liverpool after recent appearances at Soulfest, Africa Oye and The Philharmonic Music Room’s From the Soul Event last year.
- Courtney Pine plays Liverpool Phiharmonic Hall on March 18
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