Courtney Pine
at Greenbelt Festival 2010: The art of looking sideways
Greenbelt are thrilled to welcome Courtney Pine
back to the festival,
after previous appearances in 2001 and 2006.
He is a leading figure in the British jazz scene,
undoubtedly an influence to a whole generation of young musicians,
and a thrilling live performer.
A master saxophonist (though live gigs can also see him pick up a flute or clarinet for a breathtaking solo), Pine first burst onto the scene with his debut album, Journey To The Urge Within, which entered the Top 40 album chart in 1987 - the first serious jazz album to do so.
He has worked to integrate jazz with modern forms, such as UK garage and drum & bass, and his 2009 album - Transition In Tradition - was an homage to the great saxophonist Sidney Bechet, incorporating a range of international sounds to make a positive, uptempo and thrilling whole. This album also highlights Courtney's focus on social justice, with a strong theme of understanding and celebrating black history through music.
Courtney was awarded a CBE in 2009 for services to jazz music, and has played all over the world, including Glastonbury Festival and Nelson Mandela's 80th Birthday Convert at Wembley Stadium. He has won MOBO awards for Best Jazz Act in 1996 and '97, and was nominated for the Mercury Prize for his seventh album - Modern Day Jazz Stories.
