Stoop Teachers And Street-Corner Preachers Stand Strong In The Face Of Gentrification On Laila Biali's New Song "Got To Love"

"HAND CLAPPING, FINGER SNAPPING EXUBERANT FUNKY GOODNESS." - PARADE

LISTEN TO "GOT TO LOVE" 

 

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

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'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'

http://hyperurl.co/keay3d

 

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