11 January, 2018Print
Stoop Teachers And Street-Corner Preachers Stand Strong In The Face Of Gentrification On Laila Biali's New Song "Got To Love"
New, Self-Titled Album Out January 26, 30+ Date North American Tour Kicks Off January 14 In NYC"HAND CLAPPING, FINGER SNAPPING EXUBERANT FUNKY GOODNESS." - PARADE
Today, multi-talented musician Laila Biali has shared "Got to Love," the opening track of her upcoming self-titled album, out January 26th via Kobalt. Written about the years Laila spent living in Brooklyn's Prospect Heights with her husband and son, "Got to Love" honors the stoop teachers and street-corner preachers that were once the lifeblood of a neighborhood transforming before their eyes. The song tackles the impacts of gentrification as faceless property managers and high-rises move in, but with a buoyancy of sound that reflects the strength and resilience these Brooklyn residents maintain in the face of change. Parade premiered the track, praising it for its "hand clapping, finger snapping exuberant funky goodness," "gorgeously lush vocals" and "hard-charging keyboard riffs." Listen to the song and read Parade's feature.
The songs on 'LAILA BIALI' are intensely personal - on top of being a musician, Laila is the host of popular CBC Radio 2 show Saturday Night Jazz and a mother, all while splitting her time between Toronto and NYC. These experiences live on through Laila's music, covering tough topics like privileged western motherhood, the lives of families caught in the Syrian refugee crisis and the challenges of being a mother, a wife and a musician on the road.
Laila is one of Canada's foremost jazz pianists and vocalists and has toured with the likes of Sting, Chris Botti, Suzanne Vega and Paula Cole. Her weekly national CBC radio show is the station's only jazz program and the associated music stream, Jazz with Laila, consistently ranks as one of the most popular programs with 100,000+ weekly hits. Laila was nominated for a JUNO award for "Best Vocal Jazz Album of the Year" for her album 'Tracing Light,' and her music has earned praise from Downbeat, who named her record 'Live in Concert' one of the best albums of the year.
Laila will tour in support of 'LAILA BIALI' with her full band through the spring, full routing below.
MORE INFO ON LAILA BIALI
'LAILA BIALI' TRACKLIST
1. Got to Love
2. We Go
3. Satellite
4. Yellow
5. Refugee
6. Dolores Angel
7. Queen of Hearts
8. Serenbe
9. Code Breaking
10. I Think It's Going to Rain Today
11. Wind
12. Let's Dance
PRE-ODER 'LAILA BIALI'
LAILA BIALI TOUR DATES
Jan 14 - New York, NY - Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3
Jan 17 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall Humber 50th
Jan 24 - Winnipeg, MB - Kitchen Sync
Jan 26 - Regina, SK - LeBistro
Jan 28 - Calgary, AB - Ironwood Stage
Jan 30 - Saskatoon, SK - The Bassment
Jan 31 - Bellingham, WA - WJMAC
Feb 01 - Vancouver, BC - Frankie's Jazz Club
Feb 03 - Victoria, BC - Hermann's Jazz Club
Feb 05 - Portland, OR - Classic Pianos
Feb 06 - Seattle, WA - Dimitriou's Jazz Alley
Feb 07 - Seattle, WA- Dimitriou's Jazz Alley
Feb 09 - Ottawa, ON - GigSpace
Feb 11 - Waterloo, ON - The Jazz Room
Feb 13 - Toronto, ON - Jazz Bistro
Feb 14 - New York, NY - SubCulture
Feb 15 - Baltimore, MD - An Die Musik
Feb 19 - Irvine, CA - Concordia University
Feb 21 - Los Angeles, CA - Vitello's E-Spot
Feb 22 - Denver, CO - Dazzle
Feb 27 - Detroit, MI - Cliff Bells
Feb 28 - Columbus, OH - The Refectory
Mar 01 - Waterloo, ON - Jazz Room
Mar 03 - Cleveland, OH - Nighttown
Mar 04 - Indianapolis, IN - Jazz Kitchen
Mar 05 - Evanston, IL - SPACE
Mar 08 - New York, NY - Birdland Jazz Club
Mar 10 - Durham, NC - Sharp 9 Gallery
Mar 11 - Washington, DC - Twins Jazz
Mar 19 - Oakland, CA - Yoshi's
Mar 23 - Brooks, AB - Griffin Park Theatre
Mar 24 - Bragg Creek, AB - Bragg Creek CC
Apr 06 - Atlanta, GA - The Velvet Note
Apr 07 - Atlanta, GA - The Velvet Note
Jun 28 - Aspen, CO - JAS Cafe
Jun 29 - Aspen, CO - JAS Cafe
For more information please contact Rebecca Shapiro or Ally Norton at Shore Fire Media, (718) 522-7171