Eliane Elias

Eliane Elias was born in Sao Paulo Brazil on March 19, 1960. In the 1980s Elias
emerged as a star in jazz world standing out uniquely as a female from Brazil. Elias' unique
upbringing in Sao Paulo allowed her access to jazz through family exposure and the native Bossa
music of Brazil which would heavily influence her music. While she is known as a talented jazz
pianist and vocalist she has always stayed connected to her Brazilian roots. In 2008 she released
her 20th album Bossa Nova Stories which happened to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the
Bossa Nova.
Elias' mother was an amateur pianist who adored jazz and had a large collection of
recordings. Elias' father was a music lover who helped to expand the collection as young Eliane
began rigorously transcribing material off them." At the time we couldn't import records in
Brazil, but by the time I was thirteen, I had lots of jazz records, and tons of things that I had
transcribed."1
Elias began formal piano studies at age 7 and went to study at the Free Center of Music
Apprenticeship in Sao Paulo where she worked on technical skill at the piano. Meanwhile she
continued to be surrounded by the evolving sounds of Bossa. She excelled in the conservatory
and by the time she was 17 she was teaching there and working with a trio in the Sao Paulo
scene.2 Elias elaborated "I grew up during the 60s but the first Bossa Nova tunes, like
1 . In Conversation With Eliane Elias. Accessed April 4, 2014.
http://www.jazz.com/features-and-interviews/2009/2/18/in-conversation-with-elianeelias
2 . Official Website of Eliane Elias. Accessed April 3, 2014.
http://elianeelias.com/eliane#tab2-slug

Desafinado and Chega de Saudade, were launched in 1958. What most people don't know is that
they werent quite liked immediately, because they had all of these twisted harmonies and
melodies. If you think about it, its no coincidence that Desafinado means off-key! In fact, at first
the music was booed, because it was really different from anything that was happening in Brazil
at the time. Composers like Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joao Donato were influenced by the great
American composers and jazz musicians. For example, Jobim, who is like our Cole Porter, loved
the music of George Gershwin, and Donato loved Stan Kenton. Jobim was also influenced by the
impressionists like Ravel, Debussy, and Chopin, as well as nature, love, poetry, and things that
everyone can relate to emotionally. Add the melodic aspects of Bossa Nova, and you have this
beautiful combination of ingredients and a new groove called the Bossa Nova. I have been
reading books and listening to interviews, and I found out that when they created the Bossa Nova
they were trying to create a new groove that would appeal to younger people (thus Bossa Nova
or New Bossa), but in their wildest dreams they could never have imagined that it would become
so universal and eternal."3

While playing a club date in Sao Paulo at seventeen Elias was approached by Vinicus de
Moraes, Antonio Carlos Jobim's cowriter. She was invited to join him on an international tour
and accepted. Elias began traveled the globe and after a chance encounter with bass player
Eddie Gomez in Europe she was encouraged to move to New York. Vinicus de Moraes passed

3 . In Conversation With Eliane Elias. Accessed April 4, 2014.

http://www.jazz.com/features-and-interviews/2009/2/18/in-conversation-with-elianeelias

away in 1980 and so Elias decided to move to New York. After attending jam sessions it did not
take long for her talents to be recognized.

Her growth in the New York jazz scene was catapulted forward by her work in the group Steps
Ahead. How I got into the group is an interesting story. I went into the studio to do a demo tape.
Bassist Eddie Gomez recommended Peter Erskine and Michael Brecker, and Mike Mainieri
volunteered to produce the demo. Anyway, they heard me play, and they asked me to join the
band. It was fantastic, because it gave me my first taste of international exposure.4
Elias would let that exposure propel her career forward, playing and singing with many of Jazzs
great figures. In 1994 she recorded a duets album with Herbie Hancock. In the 2000s she
recorded a tribute to the late pianist Bill Evans. She continues to revolve between straight ahead
jazz and bossa nova, always representing her Brazilian roots with pride and authenticity.

4 Ibid

Sources
Elias, Eliane. Official Website of Eliane Elias. Accessed April 3, 2014.
http://elianeelias.com/eliane#tab2-slug
Pena, Thomas. In Conversation With Eliane Elias. Accessed April 4, 2014.
http://www.jazz.com/features-and-interviews/2009/2/18/in-conversation-with-elianeelias