For the first time in more than 10 years, multi award winner Laila Biali returns to the Great American Songbook to launch her latest release: Your Requests. Widely recognized for her original material including the SOCAN Hagood Hardy Songwriting Award in 2020, this shift back to classic jazz repertoire was prompted by Laila’s delight in fulfilling the song requests of her fans. When Laila asked her social media followers what tunes they’d like to hear her cover, more than 150 songs were submitted. Your Requests debuts the first collection of Laila’s dynamic and personal arrangements in response to her listeners, which she describes as a musical love letter to them. It features guest vocalist Kurt Elling, clarinetist Anat Cohen, harmonica star Grégoire Maret, plus tenor saxophonist Kelly Jefferson, bassist George Koller, drummers Larnell Lewis and Ben Wittman, and others.

Track list:

1. Bye Bye Blackbird 4:18
2. Blame It On My Youth 5:29
3. But Not for Me (feat. Anat Cohen) 2:57
4. My Funny Valentine (feat. Kurt Elling) 4:51
5. My Favorite Things (feat. Emilie-Claire Barlow) 4:28
6. Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) (feat. Grégoire Maret) 4:28
7. Pennies from Heaven (feat. Caity Gyorgy) 5:30
8. Autumn Leaves 5:12
9. The Nearness of You 3:24
10. All the Things You Are 3:59

Laila Biali – vocals, piano, Rhodes, arrangements
Kelly Jefferson – tenor & soprano saxophones
George Koller – bass
Larnell Lewis – drums
Ben Wittman – drums & percussion
Sam Yahel – Hammond B3 organ (Blame It on My Youth)
Maninho Costa – percussion (But Not for Me)
Michael Davidson – vibes (Pennies from Heaven)