Last year Debbie submitted a couple of our tracks to the Scottish Jazz Awards and got runner-up in Best Vocalist. It was a nice achievement for her being relatively new to the game. It was nice for me too as I arranged the songs as well as having initially encouraged Debbie in the jazz direction she’s been taking. I’m not used to accolades now so even an indirect one like this is a welcome thing.

It was Carol Kidd who presented the award in the category and who herself won Best CD. Being the veteran she is that was no doubt well deserved. It's thirty years ago since I recorded Carol's first album so I'm something of a vet myself. Spring Can Really Hang You Up was on that record and it became a life-long favourite of mine. It was the first song I arranged for Debbie when we started working together. Interesting these little connections.

A few days before the awards we recorded Here's To Life. Songs with life as their subject are often on the naff side I find. But this one written by Phillis Molinary is an exception. It is beautiful and poignant and doesn't tumble into sickly sentiment.