Mercury Prize nominee Fergus McCreadie claims Scottish Album of the Year award

Jazz pianist Fergus McCreadie has been crowned winner of the Scottish Album of the Year Award – in the same week he missed out on the Mercury Prize.

He has become the first ever musician from the Scottish jazz scene to win the award, in its 11th year, for Forest Floor.

McCreadie, from Clackmannanshire, has followed in the footsteps of acts like Mogwai, Young Fathers, Anna Meredith and Kathryn Joseph in winning the prize.

Joseph had been among the contenders for this year's award, which was announced at the Albert Halls in Stirling.

Jazz singer Fergus McCreadie

McCreadie was hailed by the competition judges for a sound that combined jazz with Scottish folk influences, along with "precisely placed notes and rich harmonies".

The winning album was rated best out of 369 eligible releases whittled down to a longlist of 20 by industry nominators.

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 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 I respect so much. I really hope this will be only one step of an incredible journey for a scene which truly punches above its weight.

"Thanks so much to the SAY Award and the panel, to David and Stephen for their incredible musicianship and friendship, to all my fellow musicians in Glasgow for their support and to you, the audience, who make it happen for us. I will always be grateful to make and play music.”

Creative Scotland chief executive Iain Munro said: "Fergus is one of Scotland’s most exciting young musicians and a rising star of the UK jazz scene, as reflected in his recent Mercury Prize nomination and now this accolade. Many congratulations.”

The awards also saw the celebrated Grangemouth band Cocteau Twins recognised for the Modern Scottish Classic Award for Heaven Las Vegas, which was released in 1990.Greenock singer-songwriter Berta Kennery won the Sound of Young Scotland Award.