Leaside Life Issue 69 February 2018

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F E B R UA R Y 201 8

Leaside Life

No. 69

leasidelifenews.com

Road warrior: Leaside’s Laila Biali takes her act on the road

Leaside High grad and entrepreneur Scott Mason page 14

INSIDE:

By HAILEY EISEN Canadian jazz musician Laila Biali has become a bit of a road warrior of late. In the midst of launching her seventh album, the award-winning pianist and singer-songwriter spends more time in hotels than she does at home. Still, she says, her favourite place to land is always her cozy Leaside bungalow with her son, Joshua, and her husband and fellow musician Ben Wittman. The 37-year-old has presented her music at prestigious venues spanning five continents including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Tokyo’s Cotton Club, Peru’s Festival Internacional de Poesía de Lima, and Carnegie Hall in New York. She has toured with GRAMMY award winners Chris Botti, Paula Cole, and Suzanne Vega, and recorded with and supported international star Sting. Most recently, she was brought on as host of the national CBC radio show, Saturday Night Jazz. Despite the acclaim she’s garnering world-wide, if you were to meet Laila on Bayview you’d be greeted with the warmth and kindness of someone who values family, community and friendship above all else. The Vancouver-native and Humber College graduate was living and working in Brooklyn, New York, before making the big move north. “In September 2015, we loaded all of our earthly possessions onto a 26-ft. Penske truck and drove ourselves, lock stock and barrel, up to Canada,” Laila recalls. The couple had each turned down huge career opportunities – Laila to be on a major

BESSBOROUGH SCHOOL ORGANIZES LEASIDE CUP HOCKEY • PG. 18

LASTING LOVE IN LEASIDE • PG. 23

LAILA, Page 2

STEM PROJECTS SHINE AT LEASIDE HIGH • PG. 14

PLUS: MEN’S BASKETBALL IN LEASIDE • PG. 6

Jazz musician and Leaside mom Laila Biali.

ROCKIE NOLAN

LEASIDERS IRENE ESTRIN • PG. 4 BRENT LOCKRIDGE • PG. 9 WILL ASHWORTH’S FINAL COLUMN! • PG.11 THE SCHOOL BEAT • PG. 21 AND MUCH MORE!!


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Leaside Life Issue 69 February 2018 by Leaside Life - Issuu