REVIEW: ELIANE ELIAS Gives Terrific Performance at the Sheldon January 23rd

Eliane Elias is a superbly talented performer, having started on piano at age six in her native Brazil (Sao Paulo). She's grown up with the sounds of Bossa Nova wafting through the air and airwaves, and has become a proponent of this movement that's continued to entertain audiences for over 50 years. She kicked off her current world tour to support her latest album, "Bossa Nova Stories", with a stunning show at the fabulous Sheldon Concert Hall, backed by an exceptional band.

Elias took to the stage in a long flowing black dress and high heels, kicking off the latter to assume her position behind the piano. Even though Elias is closely associated with Bossa Nova, she's also a world class jazz pianist, and those abilities were on display with lovely renditions of "The Way You Look Tonight" (Kerns-Fields) and "They Can't Take That Away From Me" (George and Ira Gershwin). Her chops are formidable, and whether she's performing classic standards, or her own compositions, she displays a considerable depth of knowledge and ability. But, it's not just her work on that piano that distinguishes her, she also possesses a warm, sultry voice that's perfectly suited to the material she presents.

Whether she's delivering classics from the Great American Songbook, or the tunes that are at the core of the Bossa Nova sound, she's always charming and beguiling. Memorable moments included: a sublime version of "So Danco Samba"; a stunning set ending run through "Desafinado"; a delightful encore "The Girl from Ipanema (a song unjustly maligned as lounge music for decades); a gorgeous run through "Tangerine"; a brilliant recreation of Stan Getz's sax licks on "Doralice"; and a memorable tune I can't recall the name of that found her taking center stage to dance and sing.

Elias is backed by a terrific band that includes her husband, stand-up bassist Mark Johnson. I didn't catch the names of the drummer and guitar player, but both were top notch. The drummer, in particular, was perfectly in synch with Elias throughout the night, and ripped off several tasty solo interludes. The guitar player laid down solid rhythms throughout, and Johnson peeled off a few marvelous solos of his own.

Once again, the Sheldon provided an acoustically perfect venue for this concert, allowing this joyous noise to reverberate in tuneful fashion.

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