Grammy Nominee Laila Biali with Gulf Coast Jazz Collective Jan. 15 at the MACC

December 12, 2025

Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026 | 7 p.m. | Music & Arts Community Center

On Thursday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m., the Gulf Coast Jazz Collective returns to the Music & Arts Community Center (MACC) in Fort Myers with special guest, Grammy-nominated Laila Biali.

Pianist and vocalist Laila Biali is a multi-award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter celebrated for her genre-blending virtuosity and songwriting excellence. Her highly anticipated seasonal album, Wintersongs, was nominated for a 2025 JUNO Award (Vocal Jazz Album of the Year) and a 2026 GRAMMY Award (Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album), alongside Lady Gaga, Barbra Streisand, Elton John & Brandi Carlile, Jennifer Hudson and Laufey. When she’s not dazzling audiences on stage or recording in the studio, Biali’s voice reaches millions as the host of the CBC radio program Saturday Night Jazz.

Founded in January 2021, the Gulf Coast Jazz Collective is led by Artistic Director, drummer, educator, and composer Paul Gavin, along with Emmy-nominated electric and upright bassist Brandon Robertson and award-winning composer, pianist and educator Zach Bartholomew.

Biali is the latest in a series of extraordinary guest artists to perform with the Jazz Collective, whose concerts frequently feature acclaimed instrumentalists and vocalists from across North America, and it’s not her first time performing in Fort Myers with the Jazz Collective.

“There are a few cities I’ve been fortunate to perform in that really stay with me – so much so that a return feels somewhat like a homecoming,” Biali said. “Fort Myers has found its way into my heart in large part thanks to my experiences partnering with the Gulf Coast Symphony and the wonderful Paul Gavin of the Gulf Coast Jazz Collective. I cannot wait to share more music with some of my favorite musicians – and of course I’ll need to find some time to soak in that gorgeous Florida sun in the middle of Canadian winter!”

To purchase tickets for Gulf Coast Jazz Collective with Laila Biali, call (239) 277-1700 or visit MACCtickets.org. The Music & Arts Community Center is located off Daniels Parkway at 13411 Shire Lane, on the campus of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers.