Eliane Elias

With Latin rhythms, classical elegance and jazz traditions running through her veins, singer-songwriter Eliane Elias has been combing the spirit of Brazil with classic American ballads since first emerging as a precocious teenage starlet in the late 1970s. Born in Sao Paulo, Elias first took piano lessons from her mother at the age of seven and grew up transcribing Art Tatum and Bud Powell records before performing in nightclubs at 15. Making her name with backing guitarist Toquinho and poet Vinicius de Moraes, she played solo in Europe and studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York; but really kickstarted her career as part of jazz-fusion group Steps Ahead.

She collaborated with first husband Randy Brecker on the album 'Amanda' in 1985 (named after their daughter), but later found her feet as a bandleader on early solo albums 'Illusions' and 'Cross Currents' and went on to record 'Solos and Duets' with Herbie Hancock in 1994. Elias's dazzling piano skills, sultry delivery and deep, touching lyrics hit new heights on 1997's acclaimed 'The Three Americans' and she won new fans by re-working Bob Marley, Beck and Santana songs on the post-bop, world-pop experiment 'Around the City' in 2006.

Returning to the iconic Blue Note label she paid tribute to one of her heroes Bill Evans on 'Something for You' and celebrated the work of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joao Gilberto on 'Bossa Nova Stories', before winning two Latin Grammy Awards for her romantic, easy listening album 'Made in Brazil' in 2015. Now regarded as one of Brazil's leading jazz stars, Elias released samba record 'Dance of Time' in 2017, the 24th solo album of her career.