Stout nominated for album award

Shetland musician and composer Chris Stout has been nominated for a new album of the year award being billed as “Scotland’s equivalent to the Mercury Music Prize”.

Stout’s Brazilian Theory’s Live In Concert release is one of 20 nominees for the Scottish Album of the Year Award, alongside the likes of Mogwai, King Creosote & Jon Hopkins and We Were Promised Jetpacks.

Those nominated are drawn from all across the music spectrum, ranging from jazz to reggae sound systems via folk, electronica, house, rock, dub and modern classical.

As well as featuring Stout’s virtuoso fiddle playing and the work of his regular collaborator, harpist Catriona McKay, the Brazilian Theory long-player features a gathering of hand-picked musicians from around the world.

Stout said he was “delighted” to have made the long list. “To have an award which represents all music types equally is a great step forward in the way our music is presented to the wider public,” he said. “I hope and believe this award will go from strength to strength and continue to bring more awareness of the huge wealth of music we have in this country.”

On 14th May the public will be able to vote for their favourite album from the long list, after which it will be whittled down to a shortlist of 10 by a panel of judges. The winner will be announced on 19th June, earning a grand prize of £20,000, while the nine runners-up will each receive £1,000.