Canadian jazz artist brings wide range to Beijing

Canadian musician Laila Biali will make her China debut on Saturday, as part of the ongoing Meet in Beijing arts festival. Provided to China Daily

Canadian jazz pianist, composer and singer Laila Biali is getting ready for her debut performance in Beijing.

She will use the opportunity to introduce her dynamic range of songs, from lyrical ballads to high intensity, energetic pieces.

Joined by some of Canada's award-winning jazz musicians, including Kevin Turcotte on trumpet, Kelly Jefferson on saxophone and clarinet, Michael Occhipinti on guitar, George Koller on bass, and Biali's husband, Ben Wittman, on drums, Biali will perform at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Saturday.

Midnight Rose: Laila Biali and Her Jazz Ensemble will start at 10:30 pm, and an hour later, she and the band will move to the open space of the NCPA, offering ticket holders an impromptu performance at an after-party till midnight.

"This will be my first time visiting and performing in China. Needless to say, I am excited. I love to arrange material from well-known Canadian songs as well as pop hits, so I imagine some of the music will be familiar but presented in a fresh way," Biali, 35, tells China Daily. "The prospect of connecting with new listeners in China is especially thrilling."

A household name in her hometown of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Biali is now based in New York with her husband and her son. She has toured with Grammy winners Chris Botti, Paula Cole and Suzanne Vega.

She also has recorded and performed with pop icon Sting - an experience she recalls as "wonderful and life-changing".

Sting in turn calls Biali "exciting and unique". They met for the first time at Sting's estate in Tuscany, Italy, in 2009 before Biali performed on a companion DVD to Sting's If on a Winter's Night album. Afterward she joined him for concerts in the United States and Europe.