THE CROSSINGS QUARTET

Laila Biali - piano
Tara Davidson - saxophones
Brandi Disterheft - bass
Sly Juhas - drums

Shortly after long-term friends and colleagues Laila Biali and Brandi Disterheft moved from their hometown of North Vancouver to Toronto, they met Tara Davidson and Sly Juhas, two musicians who were equally interested in forming a group that would perform almost exclusively original material for which all members of the band would be contributors. The result of this encounter between East and West was a unique fusion of energy, passion and sensitivity that is the mark of the Crossings Quartet.

Founded at the beginning of 2002, the Crossings Quartet has already generated much interest within the Vancouver and Toronto music scenes and has performed at various top local venues, including The Top of the Senator, the Montreal Bistro, The Rex, Quigly's and The Pilot. This group was also featured as part of the Royal Conservatory of Music's Hot Canadian Jazz Series, which included Renee Rosnes and David Braid.

In November 2002, the Crossings Quartet received international recognition when they were chosen as one of six jazz combos to be part of the first annual Carnegie Hall Workshop for Jazz Ensembles. The six participating ensembles gathered in New York for a week of intensive coaching sessions with renowned jazz artists Kenny Barron, Cecil Bridgewater, David Liebman, Rufus Reid, Justin DiCioccio, and Steve Turre. At the end of the week each group performed in the Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall.

As each member of the Crossings Quartet draws upon a different musical background, the varying compositional styles that result take the group beyond category. With a palate of sound that ranges from hard-swinging to funky to elegant, the intensity of this highly creative and original ensemble is always present, whether at a live performance or in a jam session. Whenever these artists cross paths, you can count on one thing: music happens.