Juno Awards

Just got back from Toronto where I attended the Juno Awards (the "Canadian Grammies", for those outside of Canada!) -my debut disc for RCA/Victor "...so far" had been nominated in the category "Best Contemporary Jazz Album - Instrumental". It was the third time I was attending the awards (my first Justin Time CD, "Peace-Song" had previously been nominated Best Mainstream Jazz Album and also for Best Engineer in 1995; and my duo CD "Paired Down, Vol. I" had been nominated "Best Contemporary Jazz Album" in 1997) but I had yet to win.
There is a very strange pyschology at work at such events. I remember very clearly, naively and optimistically attending the 1995 Junos, over-confident with the feeling that my CD had a good chance - only to lose and feel absolutely embarrassed by my presumptuousness. By the time the "Paired Down" nomination rolled around, I had assumed the mentality of a "losing veteran" - such things are subjective, an honor to be nominated, etc., etc. So on Saturday night, when they got to my category and announced the nominees, I think I can sincerely say that I had absolutely no expectation. And the funny thing is - I won (!)

Quite a surreal experience, going up and giving my acceptance speech (I thanked, among other people, my family and especially my father, whose birthday, I mentioned, had been the day before - I had yet to get him a present, and so I explained to the audience that "here it is", holding up the Juno); being whisked backstage to the press conference; having my photo taken, etc. And it was especially meaningful to be recognized by, and in my home country of Canada....