Composer, pianist, vocalist and bandleader, 24-year-old Laila Biali is unquestionably gifted. An interview reveals that this young Canadian luminary is not only as intelligent as her music naturally suggests, but also wise to the dualities of human nature.
She only added the vocal thing about a year ago, and realizes it places her in a different category in the eyes of some. But Biali prefers to think of herself as a musician above all else.
“As any multi-instrumentalist recognizes, on some days one instrument might feel more comfortable and therefore communicate more effectively than the others. That’s just the way life goes. People’s preferences, i.e. do they like vocals because they identify with them or do they like instrumental music without vocals– will undoubtedly influence how they respond to a multi-instrumentalist. So I’ve given up allowing myself to be pushed and pulled by the varying responses and comparisons between my compositional, pianistic and vocal skills. The spirit of the music is paramount, and I will do what I need to in order to share it with the listener.”
After years of intense classical piano, Biali relocated from British Columbia to Toronto’s Humber College with a full scholarship to study jazz. Why leave classical music?
Before replying Laila pauses to point out: “I don’t necessarily agree that the two genres should be so exclusive, because, in reality, they simply aren’t. There are major cross-overs between classical and jazz music, and the two genres have, without question, influenced each other."
“There certainly was a time when I made the shift from aspiring concert-pianist to improvising, or jazz, artist. The first pivotal moment was when I heard Keith Jarrett’s solo piano records for the first time and suddenly, I couldn’t hear the music that I identified with (primarily classical up to that point) filtered through the mind and fingers of an astonishing improviser. I could hear how classical sounds, color and technique were brought into an improvised setting– not unlike what Bach himself might have done. And so for me this music, for the first time, started to resonate with my spirit. I experienced something very similar when I first heard Kenny Wheeler. Immediately, I knew that he had been compositionally influenced by the impressionistic and contemporary classical composers. Again, it offered me something that I could identify with and latch onto. From those moments forward, I truly wanted to explore improvised music, namely jazz."
Biali’s hard work continues to pay off. She has established herself as a significant entity on Toronto’s jazz scene, accepting several accolades including the CBC Galaxie Rising Star Prize at the 2003 National Jazz Awards and a nomination for the first ever Emerging Artist Award at Distillery ’04. In various contexts, including leading her own octet, she has already performed at Carnegie Hall and globally in jazz festivals in Peru, Finland, France, Spain, Turkey, Austria, and Washington DC.
She loves the jazz community in Toronto and has fond memories of studying at Humber College. “It was fantastic. While it was one of the toughest seasons in my life personally, the faculty members there were endlessly supportive. I count the time spent at Humber as one of the most significant reasons for my progress in this industry.”
Be sure to catch Laila Biali this summer: she'll be at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival June 25 & 26, The Toronto International Jazz Festival June 28, the Ottawa International Jazz Fest. June 30 (with Flight of Whimsy), International Jazz Festival de Montreal July 1(with Flight of Whimsy), The Toronto Downtown Jazz Fest. July 2 & 3, and The Atlantic Jazz Festival In Halifax July 18.
Feeds