Courtney Pine: Transition In Tradition

Transition In Tradition is dedicated the pioneering soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet, and Pine has woven elements of early New Orleans jazz into the album, along with hard bop, swing and stride piano. The music, characteristically, also includes hefty African and Caribbean retentions. Tempos are mostly up, positivity is a constant.

The album is the follow-up to, and shares many musicians with, the majestic live set Afropeans (Destin-E Records, 2008), recorded at a 2007 performance at London's Barbican concert hall. The gig had been arranged to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Britain's abolition of the slave trade, and also the 20th anniversary of the album Out Of Many, One People (Island, 1987), made by Pine with the Jazz Warriors, the band he'd founded to promote the collective talents of African-Caribbean jazz musicians in the UK.

Transition In Tradition's core band is a sextet comprising Pine, electric violinist Omar Puente, guitarist Cameron Pierre, pianist Alex Wilson, bassist Darren Taylor and drummer Robert Foudjour. They're joined by a rolling cast of guest players on all but two tracks, most frequently trombonist Harry Brown, alto saxophonist Nathaniel Facey, trumpeter Jay Phelps and vibraphonist Stefon Harris. All but Pierre and Harris were heard on Afropeans. Pine's ten original compositions have each clearly been conceived as a showcase for a particular player.

Eschewing the tenor saxophone completely, Pine himself plays bass clarinet on four tracks, soprano saxophone on five, and alto flute on three. His bass clarinet—heard before but not with such foregrounded focus—is a special delight, played with a deep, woody resonance and entirely avoiding the stridency to which the instrument is prone. In contrast to Afropeans, Pine solos frequently. Brown, on trombone, Harris, on vibraphone and marimba, and Wilson, on acoustic and electric piano, also get generous turns in the spotlight.

Pine collates his source materials and gallery of soloists with care and aforethought—but organically, as though this was the most natural thing to do in the world. Which, as presented on Transition In Tradition, it joyously and resoundingly proves to be.

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