Jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine wasn’t trying to break news. Appearing on BBC Radio 3’s Private Passions, he simply mentioned — the way you’d mention running into someone at a coffee shop — that he’d “just done another session a couple of weeks ago” with Jagger “for The Rolling Stones.” Casual delivery. Considerable implications. The session reportedly took place roughly three months after Foreign Tongues landed at No. 1 on the UK Official Albums Chart in July 2026 — the band’s 15th chart-topper and their 25th British studio album, per the Official Charts Company.
That approximate turnaround says something. Whether it signals a full album in progress or something more modest remains unconfirmed.
What’s Confirmed, What Isn’t
Pine’s disclosure is real — a new Rolling Stones album is not.
Before refreshing any pre-order pages, here’s the full picture:
- Pine disclosed the session on BBC Radio 3’s Private Passions, describing it as occurring “a couple of weeks” before his appearance
- Foreign Tongues reached No. 1 per the Official Charts Company — the band’s 25th British studio album and 15th chart-topper and their 25th British studio album
- Jagger previously suggested the record could sit in the middle of a three-album sequence, as reported by NME
- Some material, Jagger noted, may be intended for other artists entirely
- No official Stones statement confirms a new album exists
Pine isn’t a random name dropped into this story. As reported by NME, he played saxophone on Jagger’s 1993 solo album Wandering Spirit — a collaboration that reportedly required a second Los Angeles session after the initial recordings were scrapped. His prior relationship with Jagger gives his account credibility. It just doesn’t confirm an album title, release date, or track list.
Jagger had already spoken about writing new material before Foreign Tongues was even released, telling NME the record could become the middle part of a three-album arc — while noting some songs might find their way to other artists. A band operating with that kind of forward thinking isn’t coasting on catalog. It’s treating its creative output as a living, still-evolving body of work rather than a monument to be polished and displayed.
The Live Question Is Thornier
Jagger is eyeing 2027 performances, but the touring picture stays unresolved.
Plans for a 2026 UK and European stadium tour were scrapped after Keith Richards was unable to commit, according to NME. Jagger has said he hopes the Stones perform in 2027. Ronnie Wood has expressed strong enthusiasm — telling NME he’d be ready when the other members shared that enthusiasm. A possible Glastonbury return is unconfirmed, though both Jagger and Wood have left the door open.
Studio momentum, then, appears real. Touring momentum remains fragile. The two threads don’t have to resolve together — and for a band that has operated on its own timeline for six decades, that’s hardly surprising. What Pine’s disclosure confirms is that the creative conversation hasn’t paused. Where it leads — a new single, album material, a guest appearance, or something destined for another artist entirely — is the part that still needs answering. Worth watching closely.
