His new album, Transition in Tradition, is dedicated to soprano-sax legend Sidney Bechet but Courtney Pine is also covering a vast swathe of world-jazz, influenced no doubt by his cosmopolitan group, which includes Afro-Cuban violinist Omar Puente, and two fellow Anglo-Caribbeans, bassist Darren Taylor and guitarist Cameron Pierre.

At Saturday’s launch, their music weaved between reggae, bop, rhythm’n’blues, Cuban danzon, Gypsy folk, snatches of Dixieland and even a few Arabian Nights lines more familar at Gilad Atzmon gigs. It was cultural tourism as a package deal.
Britain’s most honoured multi-reed maestro switched between soprano sax, alto flute and especially bass clarinet, now his main instrument.

At 45 his mighty lungpower remains undiminished, producing three extended solo tours-de-force involving rising scales and shrieking climaxes. His sidemen, notably Puente, Wilson and Pierre, responded with similarly showy solo features, rewarded by a ritual touching of fists with the leader.

Courtney is still making exciting music. But for his swelling ego and his hipper-than-thou assumption (even at Scott’s) that his listeners know nothing about jazz, black history or life in general, we’d enjoy it more.