LISTEN HERE AND WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO HERE
 
CROSS-CANADA WINTERSONGS & HOLIDAY CLASSICS
TOUR KICKS OFF NEXT WEEK

"Biali's voice – spanning registers – is pure and warm. She's also fearless on piano and, above else, in her imagination” – DownBeat Magazine
 
“Masterfully mixes jazz and pop, bringing virtuosity and unpredictability to songs that are concise and catchy” – The Washington Post

"There's no boxing Laila Biali in ... Capable of making you laugh and cry
all at once” – All About Jazz
 
“A keyboard virtuoso with a distinctive sultry voice - intimate
and emotional” – Toronto Star

“Accomplished and brave ... a gifted player and natural risk taker” – Exclaim!

TORONTO, ON – November 20, 2023 – After the release of last month’s holiday single, Belle nuit de Noël, acclaimed musician, Laila Biali, is thrilled to share another seasonal selection – the aptly titled, Four Sundays to Christmas.
 
Another brand new original tune, the sparkling song bubbles over with holiday spirit. From special guest, Natalie McMaster, to the 20-piece string orchestra arranged and conducted by Rob Mathew, and the children’s choir, this heartwarming anthem brings together an array of musical styles, drawing listeners in as it builds, stirring up feelings of joy, love, anticipation, hope, good will and togetherness. Listen to Four Sundays to Christmas here and watch the accompanying music video here.  
 
“I've always felt the holiday season is all about community – a time of year when the things that divide us are transcended by a spirit of togetherness,” Biali reflects. “Four Sundays to Christmas captures a musical vision of this, combining the varied talents and styles of acclaimed Cape Breton born-and-bred fiddler, Natalie MacMaster, world-class string orchestrator, Rob Mathes, and a youth choir featuring students from my son's local arts school, with my own band – bassist George Koller and drummer/husband/co-producer, Ben Wittman. It's a genre-blending, intergenerational celebration of joy, love, and hope.”
 
Biali will bring her seasonal offerings and more to audiences across Canada with her Wintersongs & Holiday Classics tour, which kicks off next Thursday (November 30). Biali's Wintersongs suite and familiar holiday fare will all be brought to life by a virtuosic band including the award-winning multi-instrumentalist, Jane Bunnett, a string ensemble, and the addition of local youth choirs in select cities. See below for full details on all upcoming performances. 

WINTERSONGS & HOLIDAY CLASSICS TOUR:
November 30 – Annapolis Royal, NS – King’s Theatre
December 1 – Summerside, PE – Harbourfront Theatre
December 2 – Chester, NS – Chester Playhouse
December 8 – Hamilton, ON – LIVELab, McMaster University
December 10 – Lakefield, ON – Performing Arts Lakefield
December 12 – Saskatoon, SK – The Bassment
December 13 – Winnipeg, MB – Crescent Fort Rouge United Church
December 15 – Victoria, BC – McPherson Playhouse
December 16 – Port Moody, BC – Inlet Theatre 
December 20 – Ottawa, ON – National Arts Centre, Azrieli Studio

DOWNLOAD – single artwork | DOWNLOAD – hi-res photo

ABOUT LAILA BIALI
Multi award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter, pianist and CBC Music national radio host, Laila Biali, has headlined festivals and venues spanning five continents from New York City's Carnegie Hall to Beijing's National Centre for the Performing Arts, and supported international icon Sting. Her latest full album release, Out of Dust, received rave reviews and was nominated for a 2021 JUNO Award. In 2020, Laila was honoured by SOCAN Music with the Hagood Hardy Award for Excellence in Songwriting. In 2019, Laila’s eponymous release won her a JUNO Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. The year prior, she was awarded top prize at the Canadian Songwriting Competition in the Jazz category. Laila was also the youngest-ever double winner at Canada’s National Jazz Awards when she was named SOCAN Composer of the Year and Keyboardist of the Year. She received her first JUNO nomination for Tracing Light (2011), and a spot on DownBeat Magazine's Best Albums of the Year for both Live in Concert (2013) and Out of Dust (2020). In September of 2017, Laila was brought on as the host for CBC Music's national radio show, Saturday Night Jazz, a weekly show broadcast to millions of listeners across Canada. While Laila continues to earn high honours in the jazz world, her signature sound transcends genre as she "masterfully mixes jazz and pop, bringing virtuosity and unpredictability to songs that are concise and catchy" (Washington Post). Her latest release – 2023's, Your Requests, Vol. 1 – showcases personal arrangements of jazz classics requested by her followers and features guest vocalists Kurt Elling, Emilie-Claire Barlow, and Caity Gyorgy plus instrumentalists Anat Cohen, Grégoire Maret, tenor saxophonist Kelly Jefferson, bassist George Koller, and drummers Larnell Lewis and Ben Wittman.