Fergus McCreadie: Jazz pianist wins Scottish Album of the Year award

Fergus McCreadie is the first jazz musician to take the prize

Pianist Fergus McCreadie has won the Scottish Album of the Year award.

The jazz and folk musician, 25, took the title for his album Forest Floor, which was also shortlisted for this year's Mercury Prize.

McCreadie is the first jazz artist to scoop the prize, previously won by the likes of Mogwai and Young Fathers.

"I'm still very confused, overwhelmed I think. It's completely not something I was expecting at all," he told BBC Radio Scotland's Afternoon Show.

"It was such an honour to be up for it, it's amazing. It meant a lot, not just personally but for the wider Scottish jazz scene.

"It's so nice to get that recognition, it's such an exciting thing to be part of. Hopefully I'm not the last jazz musician to take it home."

• I'm not thinking about winning Mercury - McCreadie

His third studio album was praised by judges for its "folk-influenced sound" and "precisely placed notes and rich harmonies".

It went straight to number one on the UK's Jazz & Blues Albums Chart when it was released in April.

McCreadie, previously nominated in 2021 for his second album Cairn, also received £20,000 for winning the award.

Earlier this week, McCreadie performed at the Mercury Prize ceremony in London, after being nominated alongside Harry Styles, Sam Fender and winner Little Simz.

He also won Instrumentalist Of The Year at the Jazz FM awards on Thursday.

McCreadie was also nominated for this year's Mercury Prize, where all nominees received trophies

After an original longlist of 20 albums was reduced to 10 for the Scottish award, McCreadie beat fellow shortlisted nominees such as singer-songwriters Kathryn Joseph and Hamish Hawk, and emerging indie pop outfit Walt Disco.

He said he wrote Forest Floor in "two or three weeks" when the first coronavirus lockdown started.

He was staying with his parents in Dollar, Clackmannanshire, where he grew up after his early childhood in Strathpeffer in the Highlands.

"I was walking around the Ochil Hills a lot, really enjoying being back in nature before I went back to the city," he said.

"That area, subconsciously at least, helped with the inspiration behind the album."

McCreadie's first experience of playing music came with the bagpipes - "I was not good at all," he has admitted - before developing a love for jazz aged 12 which "changed my life".

The pianist performed at this week's Jazz FM awards, alongside David Bowden and Stephen Henderson

He admits the £20,000 first prize that accompanies the award will be "incredibly helpful, a big career booster for sure".

"I don't think I've received anything near £20,000 for something in my life," he added. "Jazz doesn't really operate on that level so it can really do a lot for us.

"I want to split that evenly then take my share and put it back into my career. Hopefully it helps us record the next album, and maybe the next one after that."

McCreadie has pencilled in recording his next record in January, in between a string of European dates and a UK tour scheduled for February and March.