CD REVIEW: Eliane Elias - Made In Brazil

Eliane Elias - Made In Brazil
(Concord Jazz. CD Review by Eric Ford)
On Sunday, May 03, 2015

Whilst the cover of this CD looks like it might be aiming directly at the easy listening/music for seduction end of the spectrum, the CD itself is a subtle masterclass in phrasing, groove, taste, rhythmic suppleness, harmonic sophistication and songwriting.

Three generations of Brazilian songwriters are represented. The album begins with Eliane Elias' unexpectedly dreamy re-harmonisation of Ary Barroso's famous Brasil from 1939 and is a lesson in how to approach samba with a light touch. It ends on a more bouncy note with the same composer's No Tabuleiro da Baiana, also coaxed along with exquisite skill by drummer Edu Ribeiro. Sandwiched in between are two of Roberto Menescal's hits from 1963 with the man himself joining in, a medley of two touching Jobim bossa novas of which I was unaware (Este Seu Olhar and Promessas ) and one of his many classics, Aguas de Marco (Waters of March), and 6 songs by Elias herself. These are melodically memorable and utilise unexpected harmonic twists and turns, and sport some playfully sensual lyrics in English by none other than Elias' partner, bass titan Marc Johnson. Driving Ambition, for example, is one of those songs about driving cars that's actually about something altogether different. Marc Johnson: who'd have thought it?

This is Elias' first album to be recorded in Brazil since she moved to the USA in 1981. She's turned it into a celebration of her homeland with the help of a plethora of guests, and not all of them from Brazil. Her vocals blend (as you might expect) very well with her daughter Amanda's on Some Enchanted Place, whilst Ed Motta adds some r'n'b flavour to Vida. But stealing the show amongst the guest vocalists is Mark Kibble, chief arranger for a capella super-group Take 6. Thanks to the wonders of multi-tracking, he manages to sound like all of them by himself. 

However, the highlight of the album must surely be the imaginatively and impeccably-arranged version of Waters of March which does actually feature Take 6. You have not heard it like this. I urge you to hear this version, for your own happiness. Its deliciousness is hard to quantify.

Add to all of this Elias' beautiful piano playing and some strings from the London Symphony Orchestra arranged by Rob Mathes and recorded at Abbey Road and you have a sumptuous product. If Eliane Elias could not simply be Made In Brazil but somehow mass-produced, I suspect the world would be a much better and happier place!

Eliane Elias and Ed Motta are at the Barbican on May 4th

http://news360.com/digestarticle/c_Sqz1RlAEyy3dbQjlQCSg

Eliane Elias On Piano Jazz

September 27, 201310:00 AM

On this Piano Jazz from 2008, Eliane Elias performs a set of tunes distinctly dedicated to the music of the late Bill Evans. She performs Evans' tunes "For Nanette," "I Love My Wife," and "B Minor Waltz," and duets with Marian McPartland on two early Bill Evans favorites: "Autumn Leaves" and "Alone Together."

A native of São Paulo, Brazil, pianist, composer and singer Elaine Elias grew up with an affinity for both the popular and traditional music of her country as well as American jazz. She began studying piano at age seven, and by age twelve, she was transcribing solos by Bud Powell, Art Tatum and other jazz greats.

Listen on > http://www.npr.org/2011/06/03/96054860/eliane-elias-on-piano-jazz

When she was 17, Elias began touring with two renowned Brazilian artists, singer/songwriter Toquinho and the great poet, Vinicius de Moraes, who was Antonio Carlos Jobim's co-writer. In 1981, she headed for New York where she became a member of the group Steps Ahead. Her first recording, a collaboration with Randy Brecker, has been followed by more than 15 solo albums, each of which has appeared on Billboard jazz charts and received critical acclaim. Her 1995 duet with Herbie Hancock, from her album Solos and Duets, received a Grammy nomination.

Elias has recorded as a guest artist with Joe Henderson, James Taylor, Michael Franks, Mingus Dynasty, Andy Summers, the Brecker Brothers, Out of the Loop, Earl Klugh and Toots Thieleman's Brazil Project. She has won readers polls in JAZZIZ and DownBeat magazines, and has seen her original compositions arranged by Bob Brookmeyer for a 2001 Grammy-winning recording by the Danish Radio Big Band. In 2006, Elias co-produced and wrote compositions for her husband Marc Johnson's album, Shades of Jade, which won the Danish Music Award that year as best foreign release.

Read more: http://www.npr.org/2011/06/03/96054860/eliane-elias-on-piano-jazz?ft=1&f=10002

Eliane Elias....

Pianist / singer / songwriter, Eliane Elias is known for her distinctive and immediately recognizable musical style which blends her Brazilian roots, her sensuous, alluring voice with her impressive instrumental jazz, classical and compositional skills. Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Eliane Elias’ musical talents began to show at an early age. She started studying piano at age seven and at age twelve was transcribing solos from the great jazz masters. By the time she was fifteen she was teaching piano and improvisation at one of Brazil’ s most prestigious schools of music. Her performing career began in Brazil at age seventeen, working with Brazilian singer/songwriter Toquinho and the great poet Vinicius de Moraes who was also Antonio Carlos Jobim’s co-writer/lyricist. In 1981 she headed for New York and in 1982 landed a spot in the acclaimed group Steps Ahead.

Her first album release was a collaboration with Randy Brecker entitled Amanda in 1984. Shortly thereafter her solo career began, spanning over eighteen albums to date; fifteen on Blue Note Records and three on RCA Victor Group. In her work Elias has documented dozens of her own compositions, her outstanding piano playing and arranging, and beautiful vocal interpretations. All of her recordings have garnered a great deal of praise from the critics and all have topped the Billboard and Jazz Radio charts. In 1988 she was voted Best New Talent by the jazz critics poll of JAZZIZ magazine.

Together with Herbie Hancock in their duet, she was nominated for a Grammy in the “Best Jazz Solo Performance” category for her 1995 release, “Solos and Duets” .This recording was hailed by Musician Magazine as “a landmark in piano duo history.” In the 1997 Downbeat Readers Poll, her recording “The Three Americas” was voted Best Jazz Album. Eliane Elias was named in five other categories: Beyond Musician, Best Composer, Jazz Pianist, Female Vocalist, and Musician of the Year.
Considered one of the great interpreters of Jobim s music, Ms.Elias’ has been featured on many concert tributes to Jobim and recorded two albums solely dedicated to the works of the composer, Plays Jobim and Sings Jobim. The 1998 release “Eliane Elias Sings Jobim” won “Best Vocal Album” in Japan and was awarded ” Best Brazilian Album” in Jazziz Critics Poll of 1999.

Moreover, as a testament to the quality of her writing, the renowned Danish Radio Big Band has performed and recorded Elias’ compositions arranged and conducted by the legendary Bob Brookmeyer. The CD recording of this project is called “Impulsive” and was released on Stunt Records. IMPULSIVE received a Grammy nomination for “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album” in 2001. She performed this music live in several tours and was featured with the Carnegie Hall and the BBC Jazz Orchestra and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band Orchestra to name a few. In the same year, “Calle 54″, the highly acclaimed documentary film by Oscar winning Spanish director Fernando Trueba, featuring Ms. Elias’ performance of Samba Triste also received a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album.

In 2002 Ms. Elias recorded with opera sensation Denyce Graves. For this recording, “The Lost Days”, Eliane arranged two Brazilian classical pieces and wrote an original composition especially for Ms. Graves entitled Haabia Tupi. In 2002 Ms. Elias signed to RCA Music Group/Bluebird label and released Kissed by Nature . Her second recording for the label, DREAMER, released in 2004 , is a fresh mix of tunes from the American Songbook, Brazilian Bossa Novas and two new originals, all sung in English and Portuguese, supported by a full orchestra . DREAMER received the “Gold Disc Award “and won ‘Best Vocal Album in Japan” in 2004. It reached #1 on the Jazz Charts USA and France, #3 on the Pop Charts in France and #4 on the Billboard charts in the USA.

Ms. Elias’ “AROUND THE CITY” cd was released on RCA Victor in August 2006 . It merges bits of Bossa Nova, with shades of pop, jazz, latin, and rock’n roll. AROUND THE CITY features Ms. Elias’ vocals and songwriting in collaborations with producers Andres Levin and Lester Mendez as well as fresh takes on pop classics such as Tito Puente’s “Oye Como Va” and Bob Marley’s “Jammin”. Her song “Running” was featured on the ABC series “brothers and Sisters”. Around the City won “Best Vocal Album of the Year”and “Gold Disc” 2006 awards in Japan. It reached #1 on the World Music Charts USA and debuted on the French Jazz Charts as #1. In 2007, Ms Elias returned to Blue Note Records. Her 2007 release, “SOMETHING FOR YOU”, Eliane Elias Sings and Plays Bill Evans received “Best Vocal Album of the Year” and the “Gold Disc Award” in Japan . This is the 3rd consecutive recording that Eliane receives these awards and her 4th all together. “Something for You” reached #1 on the USA Jazz Radio charts, #8 on Billboard and #2 on the French Jazz Charts.

Ms. Elias just completed a new recording for Blue Note records. “Bossa Nova Stories” is a celebration to the 50th Anniversary of the Bossa Nova and features her vocals accompanied by a stellar rhythm section and strings recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London. As a guest artist she has appeared on performances and recordings with Joe Henderson, James Taylor, Michael Franks, Mingus Dynasty, Andy Summers, the Grammy winning Brecker Bros’. Out of the Loop, Earl Klugh, Toots Thielemans Brazil Project , Ivan Lins, Denyce Graves, Steps Ahead, Calle 54, and Marc Johnson’s “Shades of Jade” on ECM Records, an instrumental recording she co-produced and contributed many of her own original compositions. “Shades of Jade” received the Danish Music Award as Best Foreign Release in March 2006.

Ms.Elias was featured in the Thelonious Monk Institute’s televised Second Annual “Celebration of America’s Music” at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, four times on Marion McPartland’s NPR ‘Piano Jazz”; the JVC Festival with Sting, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, and Caetano Veloso at Lincoln Center in New York, the televised Piano Grand, a Gala celebration for the 300th Anniversary of the piano in Washington DC. hosted by Billy Joel, and the BBC Jazz Orchestra to name a few.
On September:
September 5 2009 - Debrecen Jazz Festival, Debrecen, Hungary
September 7 2009 - Ronnie Scott’s London, UK
September 8 2009 - Ronnie Scott’s London, UK
September 9 2009 - Ronnie Scott’s London, UK
September 11 2009 - Palma de Mallorca, Spain
September 12 2009 - Alcudia, Spain
September 18 2009 - Jazz en Touraine, Montlouis sur Loire, France
September 25 2009 - Palais Montcalm, Quebec City, Canada
http://elianeelias.com/biography/

Eliane Elias - Just One Of Those Things

Heineken Concerts 1996 Eliane Elias & Convidados Jack Dejohnette: Drums Marc Johnson: Bass Mannolo Badrena: Percussion

Eliane Elias - The Girl From Ipanema

Eliane Elias - "Bossa Nova Stories"

Bossa nova turns 50 this year, with the official birth date hearkening back to Brazil in 1958 when guitarist João Gilberto recorded Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes’s seminal “Chega de Saudade.” Brazil-born, New York-based vocalist/pianist Eliane Elias lovingly pays tribute to the music of her homeland with Bossa Nova Stories, a sublime 14-tune collection that captures the cool and alluring spirit of bossa nova. It’s the 21st recording of her career and the follow-up to the acclaimed Something for You: Eliane Elias Sings and Plays Bill Evans that was released earlier this year on Blue Note Records.

Eliane’s singing, integrated with her piano, makes her a unique interpreter of melody and song. On Bossa Nova Stories, her vocal delivery is a marvel of rhythmic freedom, swinging beautifully and wonderfully integrated with the syncopations of her piano, or in counterpoint to the rhythm of the guitar. This is a true musician singing. Her voice, vocal phrasing, feel and interpretation place her at the top of this genre.

For this recording, she leads a top-notch band, all of whom are steeped in the bossa nova tradition, including guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves, drummer Paulo Braga and bassist Marc Johnson. Guests include harmonica legend Toots Thielemans, Brazilian post-bossa singer/songwriter Ivan Lins and up and coming guitarist Ricardo Vogt. Produced by Elias and Steve Rodby, the album also features seven tracks with full orchestration beautifully arranged and conducted by Rob Mathes, and recorded at Abbey Road Studios, in London.
http://otmg.net/pages/eliane-elias

Eliane Elias - Call me

from the San javier jazz festival(spain) eliane elias( piano) gustavo saiari (guitar) marc johnson(contrabass)satoshi takeisha (drums) wonderful song.

Eliane Elias - "Bossa Nova Stories"

by Nate Chinen
The pianist Eliane Elias grew up in São Paulo long enough ago to appreciate bossa nova as an ascendant force. She has spent much of her career swimming with or just slightly against its current, while establishing her jazz credentials. Twenty years ago, when she made an album called “Eliane Elias Plays Jobim,” her approach was imaginative: she accessed her background for interpretive license rather than stylistic precedent.

“Bossa Nova Stories,” which enjoyed a successful release in Europe and Japan last year, pegged to the genre’s 50th anniversary, reflects clearly different priorities. It’s a self-consciously sophisticated pop record, showcasing Ms. Elias as a singer with a style that floats somewhere along the spectrum between Gal Costa and Diana Krall. As a listening experience, it’s impeccably alluring, but as an artistic statement it often rings hollow.

It’s hard not to feel at least half-cynical about a new bossa nova record that opens with “The Girl From Ipanema” and “Chega de Saudade,” two of the most obvious Antonio Carlos Jobim staples, and further glosses them with strings. The presence of American songbook fare like “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” seems similarly calculated, as does the inclusion of “Superwoman,” a Stevie Wonder tune.

Still, Ms. Elias is a more effective vocalist now than she was even a decade ago, when she released “Sings Jobim,” and her fondness for the songs is obvious. She also has expert partners in the studio, including the bassist Marc Johnson (her husband), the drummer Paulo Braga and, on most tracks, the guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves. They do unequivocally strong work in the album’s final stretch, finessing songs by Geraldo Pereira and João Donato with a looseness and bounce that could have helped earlier on.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/arts/music/12choi.html?_r=2&ref=music

Eliane Elias On Piano Jazz

Marian McPartland Piano Jazz

Listen Eliane Elias's Interview and play at below link
http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=96054860&m=96022688

October 24, 2008 - A native of São Paulo, Brazil, pianist, composer and singer Elaine Elias grew up with an affinity for both the popular and traditional music of her country as well as American jazz. She began studying piano at age seven, and by age twelve, she was transcribing solos by Bud Powell, Art Tatum and other jazz greats.

When she was 17, Elias began touring with two renowned Brazilian artists, singer/songwriter Toquinho and the great poet, Vinicius de Moraes, who was Antonio Carlos Jobim's co-writer. In 1981, she headed for New York where she became a member of the group Steps Ahead. Her first recording, a collaboration with Randy Brecker, has been followed by more than 15 solo albums, each of which has appeared on Billboard jazz charts and received critical acclaim. Her 1995 duet with Herbie Hancock, from her album Solos and Duets, received a Grammy nomination.

Elias has recorded as a guest artist with Joe Henderson, James Taylor, Michael Franks, Mingus Dynasty, Andy Summers, the Brecker Brothers, Out of the Loop, Earl Klugh and Toots Thieleman's Brazil Project. She has won readers polls in JAZZIZ and DownBeat magazines, and has seen her original compositions arranged by Bob Brookmeyer for a 2001 Grammy-winning recording by the Danish Radio Big Band. In 2006, Elias co-produced and wrote compositions for her husband Marc Johnson's album, Shades of Jade, which won the Danish Music Award that year as best foreign release.

Elias is hailed as a marvelous pianist, composer, arranger and singer and is regarded as a leading interpreter of the songs of Antonio Carlos Jobim. She has been involved in numerous recordings and concerts in celebration of Jobim's music, including two albums of her own.

On her latest album, Something for You, Elias explores the music of Bill Evans. The album includes several never released and recently discovered tunes that Evans was working on before his death.

Her new album, Bossa Nova Stories, has been released in Europe and Japan and will be available domestically in 2009.

Originally recorded June 5, 2008.

Set List

"For Nanette" (Evans)
"I Love My Wife" (Evans)
"Autumn Leaves" (Kozma, Mercer, Prevert)
"Here's Something for You" (Evans, lyrics by Elias)
"Alone Together" (Dietz, Schwartz)
"My Foolish Heart" (Washington, Young)
"B Minor Waltz" (Evans)
"Liza" (G.& I. Gershwin, Kahn)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96054860