Solos and Duets (Eliane Elias album)

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Solos and Duets
Studio album by
Released1994
StudioSolo piano parts recorded at Elias Studio, Sao Paulo, in December 1994. Duets recorded at Hit Factory, New York, on November 18, 1994.
GenreJazz
Length54:05
LabelBlue Note
ProducerEliane Elias, Christine Martin
Eliane Elias chronology
On the Classical Side
(1993)
Solos and Duets
(1994)
The Three Americas
(1996)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD[2]

Solos and Duets is tenth studio album by Brazilian jazz artist Eliane Elias.[3][4] The record was released in 1994 by Blue Note Records.[5]

Background[edit]

This record is one of her most acclaimed albums; Allmusic gave it 4.5 stars out of five. The album consists of 11 solo and duet compositions performed by herself and Herbie Hancock in a manner of friendly piano duel. On duet compositions, Eliane Elias' part appears on the left channel, and that of Herbie Hancock on the right one. There was no overdubbing used to record the album. Her next piano-only album Mirror Mirror will be released only in 2021.

Reception[edit]

Scott Yanow of Allmusic wrote "This release is a change of pace for Eliane Elias. Instead of interpreting Brazilian songs, fusion, or modern bop, Elias shows off her classical technique on a set of acoustic solos plus six duets with Herbie Hancock. She really digs into the standards (sometimes sounding a little like Keith Jarrett) and creates some fairly free and unexpected ideas while putting the accent on lyricism. Some of the music is introspective, and there are wandering sections, but the net results are logical and enjoyable. As for the duets, Elias and Hancock mostly stay out of each other's way, which is an accomplishment when one considers that the four-part "Messages" is a series of free improvisations. There are playful spots (particularly on the adventurous ten-minute rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight") and, since Elias knows Hancock's style well (and was clearly thrilled to have him on the date), their collaborations work quite well. A successful outing."

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Autumn Leaves"Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prévert4:50
2."The Masquerade Is Over"Herbert Magidson, Allie Wrubel5:12
3."The Way You Look Tonight"Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern10:05
4."All the Things You Are"Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern3:22
5."Joy Spring/Have You Met Miss Jones"Clifford Brown, Eliane Elias, Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers4:54
6."Just Enough"Herbie Hancock5:44
7."Asa Branca"Luiz Gonzaga6:06
8."Messages"Eliane Elias, Herbie Hancock3:37
9."Messages, Pt. 2"Eliane Elias, Herbie Hancock2:36
10."Messages, Pt. 3"Eliane Elias, Herbie Hancock5:59
11."Messages, Pt. 4"Eliane Elias, Herbie Hancock1:40
Total length:54:05

Awards[edit]

In 1995, the album was nominated for the Grammy Award in the "Best Jazz Solo Performance" category.[6][7]

Personnel[edit]

  • Executive Producer – Christine Martin
  • Piano – Eliane Elias, Herbie Hancock (tracks: 3 6 8 9 10 11)
  • Producer – Eliane Elias
  • Recorded By – Stelio Carlini
  • Technician [Piano] – Dirk Dickten (tracks: 3 6 8 9 10 11), Giovanni Aronne (tracks: 1 2 4 5 7)

References[edit]

  1. ^ Yanow, Scott. "Eliane Elias -- Solos and Duets". AllMusic.com. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  2. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1998). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on Compact Disc. London ; New York : Penguin Books. p. 462. ISBN 978-0-14-051383-7. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  3. ^ "38th Annual Grammy Awards". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 13 January 1996. p. 74. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  4. ^ Davis, John S. (13 September 2012). Historical Dictionary of Jazz. Scarecrow Press. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-8108-7898-3. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Rough Mix". Musician (206–211). Amordian Press. 1996. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Eliane Elias - Biography". vo-music.com. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  7. ^ Regen, Jon (August 25, 2015). "Eliane Elias comes home to Brazil on her latest album". Keyboard. keyboardmag.com. Retrieved 4 March 2016.

External links[edit]