Laila Biali / Photo by Edith Maybin
The performance space at Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles, Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz, opens the 13th season of its public performing arts series on Friday, Sept. 27, with Laila Biali, the award-winning Canadian jazz pianist, vocalist and songwriter. Culture Spot LA readers can win a pair of tickets and a copy of Biali’s CD, “Live in Concert.” Please email editor@culturespotla.com with “Laila Biali” in the subject line for a chance to win.
The event is the Los Angeles stop of Biali’s North American tour. This will also be Biali’s Los Angeles debut as a solo performer. Joining Biali on stage will be Hamilton Price (bass) and Aaron McLendon (drums).
Biali is known for taking the best of pop, rock, classical and soul, and informing it with her knowledge of jazz as she weaves together her exquisite musical arrangements. She has toured with Suzanne Vega, Chris Botti and Paula Cole, as well as recorded with and supported Sting.
Sting said of Biali: “It is the ultimate task given to the musician, whether as a singer or instrumentalist, to create a unique signature or fingerprint that is instantly recognizable as their own. What is surprising and delightful in Laila Biali is that both as a vocalist and pianist she accomplishes this with equal aplomb. She is an exciting and unique talent, and I admire her greatly.”
Her most recent CD, Live in Concert, recorded in February 2012 in front of an audience at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, captures the spirit of live performance so essential to jazz. Live in Concert was in rotation at 73 radio stations in North America.
The concert begins at 7:45 p.m. at Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz, 10361 W. Pico Blvd., LA 90064, (310) 286-0553. Tickets are $40 for adults and $30 for students and include an opening reception, hosted by the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles and Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles, that starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at: https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?m=241d6077b39728479d58e072170e1c6f&t=tix. For more information on this event, please visit TRK’s event page here and the Facebook event page here. To learn more about Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz, please visit https://www.theatreraymondkabbaz.com.