The Best of Eliane Elias

The beautiful pianist Eliane Elias, who stole the show on the documentary and soundtrack Calle 54, arrived in this country from Sao Paulo, Brazil, in the early 80s, performed with the group Steps Ahead and recorded for the Blue Note label. This CD is comprised of selected tracks from her recordings A Long Story, Fantasia, The Three Americas, Everything I Love, So Far, So Close, and Paulistana, all of which display her tasteful and eclectic musicality. Her compositions range from the elegantly funky "Just Kidding" and the classically refined "Fantasia (to Amanda)" to the Caribbean/South American numbers "Caipora," "The Time Is Now," and "Paulistana." Her debts to Herbie Hancock and Bud Powell are evident on her straight-ahead jazz ballad "Thats All It Was" and her boppish "Bowing to Bud." Recording with bassist Christian McBride, drummer Jack DeJohnette, and the brother duo of saxophonist and trumpeter Michael and Randy Brecker, Eliane Elias has produced a body of work that excels on the bandstand and on the radio.