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Courtney Pine at The Apex...

No musician more embodies the dramatic transformation in the British jazz scene over the past twenty years than Courtney Pine. The ground-breaking, multi- instrumentalist has inspired a generation of exciting and innovative players who have broadened their styles to take jazz out to a wider audience.

Winner of numerous MOBOs and BBC Jazz Awards, Courtney is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading jazz musicians, constantly pushing the boundaries of the genre. Some 30 plus years on (now with an OBE and CBE for services to music), Courtney Pine continues to break new ground with his string of highly acclaimed recordings, and he is regularly voted in the top twenty Black Britons polls.

For his gig at The Apex on 26 October, Courtney has stripped everything right back and will play bass clarinet accompanied only by MOBO Award winning pianist, Zoe Rahman. Packed with passion and good vibes, Song (The Ballad Book) presents the latest chapter in Pine’s fascinating evolution and was described in Mojo Magazine as, "Spellbinding, shimmers serenely with a breath-taking beauty."

Courtney explained, "I have always wanted to record a collection of my favourite ballads and there is nothing like performing in a duet format for bringing out the intimacy of great songs.”

Described in The Observer newspaper as "one of the finest young pianists in Europe", Zoë Rahman is one of the brightest stars on the contemporary jazz scene. She has won the ‘Perrier Young Jazz Musician of the Year' Award, a MOBO Award (Best Jazz Act 2012) and her second album was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. A vibrant and highly individual pianist/composer, she is known for her powerful technique and exuberant performance and has become a highly sought-after musician.

“This is seriously good music, beautifully played by two jewels of British jazz” – London Jazz news

Courtney & Zoe are at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds on Tuesday 26 October at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from www.theapex.co.uk or 01284 758000.