JAZZ pianist Fergus McCreadie’s Forest Floor was named as the winner of the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award on Thursday night.
The award comes with a £20,000 prize and was announced at ceremony at the Albert Halls in Stirling.
In the award’s 11th year, the Cocteau Twins were also recognised, picking up the Modern Scottish Classic Award for Heaven or Las Vegas, while Berta Kennedy won the Sound of Young Scotland Award and a funding package worth up to £5000 to help fund the creation of her debut album.
McCreadie, 25, was named the SAY winner at the ceremony in Stirling, the city where he first developed his unique vision for jazz music.
Scottish folk influences are central to his sound and his which saw him shortlisted for the Mercury Prize which he attended earlier this week.
The pianist was previously longlisted for a SAY Award in 2021 and shortlisted under the Fergus McCreadie Trio in 2019.
McCreadie said: “I’m absolutely honoured and thrilled that Forest Floor has been selected as this year’s Scottish Album of the Year.
“I’m really proud of how the trio comes across on the record and it’s such a privilege for us to have that recognised by the SAY award panel.
“I’m also so excited by what this can do for Scottish jazz – we’re the first jazz act to win the prize and I really hope we won’t be the last.
“Scottish jazz is full of incredible musicians and bands that I respect so much, and I really hope this will be only one step of an incredible journey for a scene which truly punches above its weight.”
Held for the first time in Stirling’s Albert Halls, the ceremony was co-hosted by BBC Radio Scotland presenters Nicola Meighan and Vic Galloway.
Artists, music fans and industry figureheads gathered to celebrate 2022’s Shortlist, with all nine runners up each collecting £1000 and a bespoke trophy created by local artists ART FUTURO via the SAY’s design commission.
Following Thursday’s ceremony, the SAY Award has distributed more than £320,000 in prize money and championed 220 longlisted albums across 11 previous campaigns, which the group said demonstrates “the award’s continued ambition, passion and commitment to accelerating a growing Scottish music scene”.
Robert Kilpatrick, creative director of the Scottish Music Industry Association/the SAY Award, said: “Fergus McCreadie is not only at the forefront of Scotland’s jazz scene, but he’s a shining example of someone who’s making some of the most exciting and innovative jazz music worldwide.
“With a Mercury Prize nomination and a SAY Award win now under his belt, 2022’s been a phenomenal year for one of Scotland’s most exciting talents, and firmly places Forest Floor as one of the defining records of this year.”
Iain Munro, CEO of Creative Scotland, said: “Huge congratulations to Fergus McCreadie and to all of the incredible albums and musicians that made up this year’s shortlist.
“The SAY Award not only celebrates and recognises the achievements of some of Scotland’s finest musicians but also brings these fantastic albums to the public’s attention. Fergus is one of Scotland’s most exciting young musicians.”
