SAXOPHONIST Courtney Pine, who was awarded a CBE for services to music in the 2009 New Year Honours will be performing his critically acclaimed Transition in Tradition album set at the Wyeside.
Courtney’s 12th album and his debut release on his own label Destin-e World not only pays tribute to the first great saxophone star Sidney Bechet, but also marks several new forays into sound for the groundbreaking Jazz Warrior.
Reviewed as some of his best work to date, the music was composed and evolved through a series of intimate shows in the UK during 2007 before Pine brought his band into the studio to document and capture the energy that only a live audience can give – this will be the first extensive tour of the finished material.
Pulling together a heavyweight musical line-up that draws influences from Africa, the Caribbean, South America and Europe, the set is as deep as the legacy of jazz, as it is reflective of their collective musical heritage.
A change in instrumentation sees Pine's Bass Clarinet take centre stage on many occasions, alongside Harmonium, Castanets and Mandolin and the resulting sound is like no other Courtney Pine record.
Courtney said: “Of course I pay respect to the great Bechet by playing a silver soprano saxophone like his, but there are other flavours like my Alto Flute playing on The Tale Of Joe Harriott and of course that Caribbean groove.”
It’s that very groove that gives this album another of it’s unique elements, as forays into New Orleans 2nd line beats merge into an old school swing beat, a medium tempo swing smoothly flows into a reggae one drop beat, there is a feeling of continuing movement as each track passes from one place to another.
Courtney added: “I want to show in these compositions how our journey as a culture is constantly in transition, things change in one tune musically just as we do in real life.”
Tickets can be booked by calling the box office on 01982 552555.