Artist: 
Courtney Pine

Out Of The Ghetto: A Modern-Day Jazz Story 2CD

£12.99

Release date: 24 April, 2026

Formats: 
2CD Album
Label: 
UMC

This 2CD collection (28 tracks), alongside an expanded 33-track digital edition, chronicles the formative years of Courtney Pine from the mid-1980s to the late-1990s — a period that shaped both his groundbreaking career and the foundations of today’s UK jazz renaissance. Featuring three previously unreleased recordings from May 1986 (Sophisticated Lady, Guidance and Song for Our Children), recorded ahead of his landmark debut album, the release offers rare insight into Pine’s early artistic vision. CD1, compiled by acclaimed BBC jazz critic Kevin Le Gendre, provides a critical overview of Pine’s early impact, while CD2, curated by Pine himself, highlights the personal, political and musical influences that defined his journey. Together, they form a definitive and enduring portrait of one of British jazz’s most influential figures.