Falkirk jazz fans counting down to award winning duo's big Linlithgow gig

Gearing up for the show on Friday, April 14, saxophonist Helen Kay won the title in 2015, while pianist Peter Johnstone took the prize in 2012.

The two musicians have more than a prestigious music award in common, however.

“Pete and I seem to have been either in the same band or pursuing the same goals forever,” said Helena. “We played in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland together. Then we were both in saxophonist Tommy Smith’s Youth Jazz Orchestra at the same time.”

Helena’s group whose group the KIM Trio recently released their second album, Golden Sands to international acclaim, while Peter also features on Golden Sands and

as well as playing in a duo, the two musicians are currently members of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra.

Although still in her twenties, Perth-born Helena has been impressing knowledgeable jazz observers for more than ten years now. When she won the Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year the judges included one of Scotland’s greatest-ever jazz musicians, the late saxophonist Bobby Wellins.

Helena said: “It was a great confidence boost to know someone as respected as Bobby Wellins liked what I was doing.”

Now based back in Scotland Helena is enjoying being part of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and being able to play concerts more often with Glasgow-based

Peter, who became the first student on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s jazz course to return as a lecturer.

“We’ve played a few concerts as a duo,” says Helena. “The first one we ever played was for Perth Festival of the Arts, which was a fairly prestigious way to start. They invited us back, so we must have done okay.

"Pete’s always fun to play with. He always has loads of ideas and he really keeps me on my toes. We probably won’t decide what to play in Linlithgow until we get there

but we’ve heard lots of good things about St Peter’s Church and it sounds like an inspiring place to play.”

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