Album: Courtney Pine, Transition in Tradition, (Destin-e)

Star saxophonist Courtney Pine returns to something close to the top of his form with a swaggering affirmation of his new “Afropean” identity.

While ostensibly drawing on a recent Sidney Bechet project, there’s an autodidact’s abundance of references here, from C L R James and Joe Harriott to reggae-infused Gypsy jazz and New Orleans R&B. The musicians are familiar Pine accomplices, with Alex Wilson and Omar Puente shining, while Stefon Harris on vibes provides a welcome foil.

Pick of the album: ‘Au Revoir’: a moving threnody to South African jazzmen

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