Courtney Pine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Courtney Pine
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| Background information | |
| Born | 18 March 1964 |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Jazz |
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| Years active | 1986–present |
Courtney Pine, born on March 18, 1964, is a famous British jazz musician. He is best known for playing the saxophone. However, he can play many other instruments too! These include the flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, and keyboards. In the 1980s, he helped start an important British band called the Jazz Warriors.
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Early Life and Musical Start
Courtney Pine's parents moved to London from Jamaica. His father was a carpenter, and his mother managed housing. When he was a child, Courtney dreamed of becoming an astronaut.
He grew up in London and went to Kingsbury High School. There, he learned to play the classical clarinet. When he was 14, he taught himself how to play the saxophone. Courtney started his music journey playing reggae music. In 1981, he even toured with the reggae artists Clint Eastwood & General Saint.
Courtney Pine's Music Career
In 1986, Courtney Pine released his first album, Journey to the Urge Within. This album became very popular and reached the UK Top 40 music chart. He also played with a band called Grand Union Orchestra. He was featured on their 1986 album, The Song of Many Tongues.
Founding the Jazz Warriors
Courtney Pine was the main person who started the Jazz Warriors. This was a very important British jazz band. He created the band in 1985 through a community group called "The Abibi Jazz Arts." The Jazz Warriors grew from another community band, the Abibi All-Stars. They performed at London's Royal Festival Hall in 1985.
The Jazz Warriors recorded two albums with Courtney Pine leading them. The first was Out of Many, One People in 1987. The second was Afropeans, released in 2007 for the band's 20th anniversary. This Afropeans project was created to remember the 200th anniversary of the law that ended the slave trade.
Venus Warriors and Modern Music
Thirty years after starting the Jazz Warriors, Courtney Pine created a new all-female jazz band called "Venus Warriors." This band performed for a charity event. They helped raise money and awareness for a statue of Mary Seacole. She was a brave British-Jamaican nurse and businesswoman from the Crimean War.
Courtney Pine's newer music mixes traditional jazz with modern British styles. These include drum and bass and UK garage. He leads his own band and often plays with many different musicians. He also used to host a radio show called Jazz Crusade on BBC Radio 2.
Appearances and Awards
In 1988, Courtney Pine appeared as himself in an episode of the TV show Doctor Who. He played in a jazz quartet in the story Silver Nemesis.
In 1989, he performed on stage with the famous pop group Pet Shop Boys. He played saxophone on their song "Nothing Has Been Proved."
Courtney Pine has received several important awards for his contributions to jazz music. In 2000, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). In 2009, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). He has also received honorary doctorates from the University of Westminster in 2004 and the University of Southampton in 2010.
In 2018, Courtney Pine appeared on the BBC Two Christmas show Merry Christmas Baby – with Gregory Porter & Friends.
Personal Life
Courtney Pine lives in London with his wife and their four children.
Music Albums and Songs
Albums by Courtney Pine
- Journey to the Urge Within (1986)
- Destiny's Song + The Image of Pursuance (1988)
- The Vision's Tale (1989)
- Closer to Home (1990)
- Within The Realms of Our Dreams (1991)
- To the Eyes of Creation (1992)
- Modern Day Jazz Stories (1995)
- Underground (1997)
- Another Story (1998)
- Back in the Day (2000)
- Devotion (2003)
- Resistance (2005)
- Transition in Tradition: En Hommage a Sidney Bechet (2009)
- Europa (2011)
- House of Legends (2012)
- Song (The Ballad Book) (2015)
- Black Notes from the Deep (2017)
Albums Featuring Courtney Pine
- Mica Paris, So Good (1988)
- Trevor Jones, Angel Heart (Soundtrack) (1987)
- Jazz Warriors, Out of Many, One People (1987)
- Jazz Warriors, Afropeans (2008)
- Harry Beckett, Les Jardins Du Casino (1993)
Songs by Courtney Pine
- "Children of the Ghetto" (1986) (featuring Susaye Greene)
- "Like Dreamers Do" (1988) (with Mica Paris)
- "I'm Still Waiting" (1990) (featuring Carroll Thompson)
- "Get Busy" (1992)
- "Too Much To Lose" (1999) (with Elkie Brooks)
- "Lady Day (& John Coltrane)" (2000) (featuring Lynden David Hall)
EPs
- Traditions Beckoning (1988)
See also
In Spanish: Courtney Pine para niños
- Jazz Warriors
