Courtney Pine happy to return to his musical roots

Ever since he first walked out onto a Cork Jazz Festival stage alongside, of all things, turntables and mixers, Courtney Pine has been a firm favourite with Leeside audiences. He’s been getting crowds dancing in the aisles during the festival since the late 1990s, placing his muscular, dizzying sax playing in all manner of musical contexts.

Pine’s first appearances in Cork coincided with the festival beginning to branch out, pushing the definition of “jazz” by embracing dance music that took its spirit, if not quite its sound, from the music. But at the time, the festival’s reputation was, for Pine, rather different. “The Cork Festival, back in the day,” he says, “was such a traditional festival. For the likes of me to get to Cork, that was a big deal. I’m not what you call a regular British jazz musician. I’m outside the circle and I really felt I had a point to prove. Getting to a festival like Cork was a huge honour. I had to prove my relevance. Every time I come there’s been crowds who feel the same way I do, and they respond really well to the concerts. I’m on a mission every time I turn up in Cork. It’s buzzing, it’s really good. There’s a lot of people identifying with what I’m trying to achieve. We have a good time, you know? It’s weird because I’m 49 now, and I’ve got a grey beard and I’m not a kid any more, but I’m not really established. I’m still striving, on the same mission.”

Pine laughs at the contrast to the festival now: “Primal Scream is playing man,” he says with a hoot. “That’s way, way, way, left field.” Is that pushing things too far? “A woman that used to sing with me used to sing with them, so there’s a kind of a link there,” he responds.