For the first time in more than 10 years, multi award winner Laila Biali returns to the Great American Songbook to launch her latest release: Your Requests. Widely recognized for her original material including the SOCAN Hagood Hardy Songwriting Award in 2020, this shift back to classic jazz repertoire was prompted by Laila’s delight in fulfilling the song requests of her fans. When Laila asked her social media followers what tunes they’d like to hear her cover, more than 150 songs were submitted. Your Requests debuts the first collection of Laila’s dynamic and personal arrangements in response to her listeners, which she describes as a musical love letter to them. It features guest vocalist Kurt Elling, clarinetist Anat Cohen, harmonica star Grégoire Maret, plus tenor saxophonist Kelly Jefferson, bassist George Koller, drummers Larnell Lewis and Ben Wittman, and others.

Your Requests, Volume 1

All the Things You Are

The Nearness of You

Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) (f. Grégoire Maret)

But Not for Me (f. Anat Cohen)

Blame It on My Youth

Bye Bye Blackbird

Autumn Leaves

My Favorite Things (f. Emilie-Claire Barlow)

My Funny Valentine (f. Kurt Elling)

Multi award winning vocalist, pianist and arranger Laila Biali is joined by 2x JUNO winner Caity Gyorgy for a bubbly and beguiling duo take of the classic jazz standard, Pennies from Heaven, releasing April 14 (National Look Up at the Sky Day in the US). Michael Davidson's vibraphone and Kelly Jefferson's tenor sax add wonderfully to the sophisticated sonic landscape, making it the perfect soundtrack for spring whether you're relaxing with your morning coffee or enjoying a leisurely nightcap.

Laila Biali – vocals, piano, arrangement
Caity Gyorgy – guest vocals
Michael Davidson – vibraphone
Kelly Jefferson – tenor sax
George Koller – bass
Larnell Lewis – drums
Ben Wittman - percussion

Pennies from Heaven (f. Caity Gyorgy)

Multi-award winning vocalist, pianist, songwriter and national radio host Laila Biali releases Belle nuit de Noël, a magical original French winter waltz co-written with fellow JUNO award winner Sonia Johnson. All production elements of this intimate holiday offering were captured at home by Laila, with support from her husband and co-producer Ben Wittman. Her spellbinding lead vocals combine with the dampened hammers of her upright piano, music box-like glockenspiel and ethereal background vocals to create a world that is at once cozy, atmospheric and enchanting.

Laila Biali - vocals (lead + background), piano, glockenspiel

Co-produced by Laila Biali & Ben Wittman.
Mixed by Timothy Abraham.
Mastered by João Carvalho.

Music by Laila Biali.
Lyrics by Sonia Johnson.

Belle nuit de Noël

Multi-award winning vocalist, pianist, songwriter and national radio host Laila Biali releases Joy to the World, a triumphant and epic arrangement of the beloved Christmas classic featuring members of the Toronto Mass Choir (a multi-award winning gospel group), string orchestra arranged and conducted by Rob Mathes (a favourite of both Sting and Bruce Springsteen) and trumpet master Wayne Bergeron. Listeners will enjoy Laila's rousing and unique reimagining of one of the most popular holiday hymns of all time as she skillfully blends Gospel with other genres for a musical journey filled with heart and spirit.

Joy To The World

Artist: Laila Biali & The Radiance Project
Album: House of Many Rooms (2015)

Laila Biali – vocals / piano / song / arrangement
Jo Lawry & Alan Hampton – backing vocals
Ben Butler & Alex Foote - guitar
Chris Tarry - bass
Ben Wittman - drums
Jason Logue - trumpet, piccolo trumpet
David Quackenbush - french horn
William Carn - trombone
Doug Gibson - bass trombone
Winona Zelenka, Paul Widner, Maurizio Baccante – cello

Love

Artist: Laila Biali & The Radiance Project
Album: House of Many Rooms (2015)

Laila Biali – vocals / piano / songs / arrangements
Toronto Mass Choir (on Shadowlands & Home)
Lisa Fischer, Jo Lawry, Alan Hampton – backing vocals
Ben Butler & Alex Foote - guitar
Chris Tarry - bass
Brian Wolfe & Ben Wittman - drums
Jason Logue - trumpet
David Quackenbush - french horn
William Carn - trombone
Doug Gibson - bass trombone
Shirantha Beddage - clarinet
Eyvind Kang - viola
Full Strings

Come Anything

A fan-requested cover of the Coldplay hit.

Laila Biali :: vocals, piano, keyboards
Jo Lawry :: background vocals
George Koller :: bass
Larnell Lewis :: drums

Co-produced by Laila Biali & Ben Wittman.
Mixed by Tim Abraham.
Mastered by João Carvalho.

Photography by Rockie Nolan.
Art Direction and Design by Stephanie Elise Haller.

Yellow

All songs written and arranged by Laila Biali (except Yellow, I Think It’s Going to Rain Today and Let’s Dance)

Produced by Ben Wittman & Laila Biali
Mixed by Tim Abraham Mastered by João Carvalho

Laila Biali: vocals, piano, keys
George Koller: bass
Larnell Lewis: drums (01, 02, 04, 08, 09, 11, 12) Ben Wittman: drums (03, 05, 06, 07), percussion
Mike “Maz” Maher: trumpet (02, 08, 09, 11) Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet (03, 05)
Sam Yahel: organ (01, 02, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 12) Glenn Patscha: organ (solo on 02), keys (12) Lisa Fischer: vocals (01, 02, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Jo Lawry: vocals (all tracks except 09) Carlos Ricketts (01, 02, 06, 07)
__________

Laila Biali would like to reintroduce herself.

The raven-haired musician has won awards (SOCAN Composer of the Year and Keyboardist of the Year at Canada’s National Jazz Awards) and played the world’s most prestigious venues (North Sea Jazz Festival, Tokyo’s Cotton Club, Carnegie Hall). She’s toured with GRAMMY award winners (Chris Botti, Paula Cole, Suzanne Vega) and recorded with an international icon (Sting). In short: She’s established herself as one of Canadian jazz’s brightest young stars. And now, almost two decades into a successful career, she’s ready for a change. 

“It’s been a long time coming,” Laila says of her upcoming self-titled album. “I’ve been playing music professionally for years but this album feels, in a way, like a new beginning.”

Led by the funky single, “Got to Love,” LAILA BIALI is the culmination of everything the acclaimed singer-songwriter has achieved thus far. “Writing this album, I felt like a kid in a candy store, wanting to try everything,” Laila explains. “It took some time for me to find my voice as a songwriter, and I didn’t want to pigeonhole myself into any one particular genre.” 

The end result is an eclectic-but-focused album that Laila describes as “fully representative.” “There are elements of improvisation, so the jazz is there,” she says. “There’s also an edgier songwriting persona that I think has always been there but took some time to hone in on.” 

Catchy, sophisticated, and unlike anything currently on the radio, it’s pop music, but not the kind that can be neatly tagged by an algorithm. Melodies take thrilling left turns and pre-choruses give way to instrumental interludes. One minute Biali is soaring over a bluesy storm of handclaps and hard-charging keyboard riffs (“Got to Love”), the next she is pouring out her soul on an impassioned, slow-burning plea for empathy (“Refugee.”) It’s pop music, but the experimental, distinctly human variety popularized by Regina Spektor, Rachael Yamagata, and Sara Bareilles. 

Balancing the competing impulses was a challenge, but the final outcome was worth it. “I’m more excited about this record than any other project of mine to date,” Laila declares. Fans should be too.

12 Let's Dance

11 Wind

10 I Think It's Going to Rain Today

09 Code Breaking

07 Queen of Hearts

03 Satellite

02 We Go

My husband and I lived in Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights neighborhood – near Lincoln and Underhill – from February of 2010 through September of 2015. When we first moved, the neighborhood was still “in transition.” There were lots of interesting people – generations of families who’d been living there for decades. Then gentrification took hold. Predatory property managers acquired buildings, offering longtime residents grossly unbalanced “deals” to vacate their rent-controlled apartments. If occupants didn’t comply, they were unlawfully evicted. Inevitably, there was pushback from within the community, and a few particularly vocal folks who took a stand and did what they could, using tenant protection laws to fight for justice. Chuck, whom we’d dubbed “the mayor,” regularly reported what was going on behind the scenes. And there was actually a fellow named Justice. He could barely walk but always greeted us enthusiastically from across the street. Stoop teachers and street-corner preachers, we’ll never forget these passionate local crusaders. They were the lifeblood of these neighborhoods, what we miss most about Brooklyn. 

Laila Biali (vocals, piano) / Lisa Fischer, Jo Lawry & Carlos Ricketts (BGVs) / Glenn Patscha & Sam Yahel (organ) / Larnell Lewis (drums) / George Koller (bass) / Ben Wittman (percussion) 

Co-produced by Laila Biali & Ben Wittman / Mixed by Tim Abraham / Mastered by João Carvalho

01 Got to Love

Award-winning crossover pop-jazz artist and national CBC Music radio host Laila Biali offers a tender acoustic cover of The Book of Love. Laila's heartfelt take on this beloved song by the Magnetic Fields features an all-star band including the Venuti String Quartet, Adam Robert Thomas, George Koller, and the multi GRAMMY-winning drummer Larnell Lewis (Snarky Puppy).

Laila Biali - piano, vocals, arrangement
Adam Robert Thomas - background vocals
George Koller - bass
Larnell Lewis - drums

Drew Jurecka - string arrangement
Drew Jurecka - first violin
Rebekah Wolkstein - second violin
Shannon Knights - viola
Lydia Munchinsky - cello

Recorded at Revolution Recordings (Toronto)
Mixed and mastered by Ben Wittman

The Book Of Love

All songs by Laila Biali, except Glass House (Ben Wittman & Laila Biali), Au pays de Cocagne (words by Sonia Johnson, music by Laila Biali), Take Me To The Alley (Gregory Porter) and Take The Day Off (words by Laila Biali, music by Laila Biali & Joshua Biali-Wittman).

Musicians:

Laila Biali – piano, vocals, keys, BGVs, tongue drum
Rich Brown – electric bass (1, 3, 5, 9, 10)
George Koller – acoustic bass (2, 4, 6, 7, 8)
Larnell Lewis – drums (3, 5, 9)
Ben Wittman – drums (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10), percussion
Glenn Patscha – organ (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10), keys (1, 2)
Godwin Louis – soprano sax soloist (2, 3, 9, 10)
John Ellis – tenor sax soloist (1, 4, 8), tenor & bass clarinet (1, 5, 9)
Mike “Maz” Maher – trumpet (1, 5, 9), background vocals (6)
Remy Le Boeuf – alto sax, flutes, clarinet (1, 5, 9)
Alan Ferber – trombones, horn arrangements (1, 5, 9)
Drew Jurecka – violin, string arrangements (2, 3, 4, 6, 7)
Rebekah Wolkstein – violin (2, 3, 4, 6, 7)
Shannon Knights – viola (2, 3, 4, 6, 7)
Lydia Munchinsky – cello (2, 3, 4, 6, 7)
Lisa Fischer – background vocals (1, 4, 5)
Jo Lawry – background vocals (1, 2, 5, 8, 10)
Michelle Willis – background vocals (1, 2, 5, 8, 10)
Dennis Collins – background vocals (1, 2, 5, 8, 10)
Adam Thomas – background vocals (9)

Tracking Engineers :: L. Stu Young & Luke Schindler (Revolution Recording Studios, Toronto) + Oliver Straus (Mission Sound Studios, New York City)

Mix Engineer :: Tim Abraham, assisted by Jonathon Unger
Mastering Engineer :: João Carvalho, assisted by Bryan Lowe
Co-produced by Ben Wittman & Laila Biali

Au pays de Cocagne

Award-winning vocalist, pianist and CBC Music national radio host Laila Biali releases an infectious Soul-Jazz original featuring GRAMMY-winning vocalist Lisa Fisher and GRAMMY-winning drummer Larnell Lewis.

Musicians:

Laila Biali – piano, vocals
Rich Brown – electric bass 
Larnell Lewis – drums 
Glenn Patscha – organ 
John Ellis – tenor & bass clarinet 
Mike “Maz” Maher – trumpet 
Remy Le Boeuf – alto sax, flutes, clarinet 
Alan Ferber – trombones, horn arrangement
Lisa Fischer – background vocals
Jo Lawry – background vocals 
Michelle Willis – background vocals 
Dennis Collins – background vocals 

Tracking Engineers :: L. Stu Young & Luke Schindler (Revolution Recording Studios, Toronto) + Oliver Straus (Mission Sound Studios, New York City)

Mix Engineer :: Tim Abraham, assisted by Jonathon Unger
Mastering Engineer :: João Carvalho, assisted by Bryan Lowe
Co-produced by Ben Wittman & Laila Biali

Sugar

Glass House

SOCAN Music and JUNO Award winner Laila Biali shares an intimate acoustic cover of Joni Mitchell's classic love song, A Case of You, captured live off the floor at Revolution Recording Studios. This heartfelt interpretation, created with Valentine's Day in mind, features George Koller on upright bass and Laila's husband Ben Wittman on djembe.

Laila Biali – vocals, piano, arrangement
George Koller – bass
Ben Wittman – djembe, mix

A Case of You - Live Off The Floor

A Case of You (Live off the Floor)

Multi award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist Laila Biali has toured with Chris Botti, Paula Cole, Suzanne Vega and Sting. She has headlined festivals and venues spanning five continents, from Carnegie Hall in New York City to the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. Her accolades include a 2019 JUNO Award (Canada's GRAMMY) for “Vocal Jazz Album of the Year”, top prize at the 2018 Canadian Songwriting Competition (Jazz), “SOCAN Composer of the Year” and “Keyboardist of the Year” at Canada’s National Jazz Awards, a JUNO nomination for Tracing Light, and a spot on DownBeat Magazine’s “Best Albums of the Year” list for Live in Concert. In 2015, Laila released her first album of entirely original music, House of Many Rooms – an indie-pop project featuring a star- studded lineup including the vocalist Lisa Fischer, who is featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary 20 Feet From Stardom. In September of 2017, Laila was brought on as the host for CBC Music’s national radio show, Saturday Night Jazz. And while Laila continues to earn high honours in the Jazz world, her unique genre-bending sound is what sets her apart as she "masterfully mixes jazz and pop, bringing virtuosity and unpredictability to songs that are concise and catchy.” (Washington Post) She will release her next album in March 2020.

Laila Biali

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