Laila Biali Unveils Wintersongs: An Enchanting Ode to Winter’s Majesty

Eight months after the release of her JUNO-nominated album Your Requests, acclaimed jazz pianist and vocalist Laila Biali returns with Wintersongs, a profoundly personal and original album. Her 10th recording as a bandleader, Wintersongs was composed during a winter retreat in a secluded cabin surrounded by the snow-covered peaks of Canada’s Rocky Mountains. This stunning new work serves as Biali’s musical love letter to winter, transforming her unique inspiration into an evocative collection that captures the beauty, stillness, and allure of the season.

For over a decade, Alberta’s Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity has been a creative sanctuary for Biali, where she has participated in intensive residencies that have nurtured the creation of her music. Reflecting on her time there, Biali says, “The Banff Centre is where I go to meet my muse. I have been fortunate to spend time there in every season, but I was especially surprised at how much I loved winter. I arrived on campus in late November 2021, and every day from dawn to dusk, all I could see and hear was music – in the awe-inspiring sunrises and sunsets behind mountain silhouettes, in the wind rising up through towering trees, and in the snow that constantly shifted from stillness to storm. Those images and that experience fill this suite of songs.”

Supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and Toronto Arts Council, Wintersongs emerged as a project that would expand beyond Biali’s usual circle of collaborators, bringing in the acclaimed orchestrator Rob Mathes (Sting, Bruce Springsteen) and other legendary musicians. Longtime partner and drummer Ben Wittman co-produced, and Biali brought in celebrated flutist and soprano saxophonist Jane Bunnett. Bunnett joins Biali on tracks like Rocky Mountain Lullaby, an homage to Banff National Park’s peaks, and Dance of the Pines, a journey through winter flora, fauna, and the aurora borealis. Other musical luminaries include trumpeter Kevin Turcotte, organ virtuoso Sam Yahel, and Detroit-born vocalist Wade O. Brown, all of whom help elevate tracks like Outside, a potential seasonal classic that combines romantic imagery with sweeping orchestration.

Reflecting the organic and immersive experience of winter, Wintersongs invites listeners on a journey into what Biali describes as “uncharted terrain that resonates with the strong echoes of home.” Each song is rich with melodic beauty, resonant with themes of nature’s grandeur, and infused with a sense of discovery that feels both intimate and timeless. As she embarks on an extensive tour in November and December, Wintersongs marks a bold and transformative moment for Biali, one that captures winter in all its stillness, mystery, and majesty.