Carol catches up with award winning artist Laila Biali about her getting her career aspirations as a concert pianist cut short by injury, finding new inspiration as a composer and singer and gaining confidence on the road with Chris Botti, Sting, Paula Cole and Suzanne Vega.
Her studio recording, Tracing Light, received a JUNO nomination in 2011 for “Best Vocal Jazz Album of the Year”, and her follow-up album, Live in Concert, was given an enthusiastic four-star review and named one of the “Best Albums of 2013” by DownBeat Magazine.
In 2015, Laila released her first album of entirely original music, House of Many Rooms – an indie-pop project featuring Lisa Fischer (Rolling Stones, 20 Feet From Stardom), Jo Lawry (Sting, Paul Simon), Alan Hampton (Robert Glasper), and the Toronto Mass Choir.
Biali’s new self-titled album melds her jazz and pop inspirations along with highly skilled playing and wonderfully textured vocals on 12 original and cover songs.