Search - Eliane Elias :: Around the City

Exotic Masterpiece

Jinkyu | 01/09/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Around the City" blows me away on the first eight songs. To get a sense of the sound, start with the notion of Eliane playing piano only, the usual case. But the liner notes state, "Eliane Elias:.... Piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Hammond B3 Organ, Synths." The songs are fortified by many instruments, many musical layers. "Around the City" represents a high point for the electronic, modern jazzy sound.



The four songs in which Eliane is a co-writer -- three with Lester Mendez and Lauren Christy (the opening "Running," "We're So Good," and the title cut) and one with Andres Levin ("Slide Show") -- establish the atmosphere. "Slide Show" is a real gem, shadowy and exotic. It is arguably the CD's strongest track, with terrific rhythm and guitar work, including some flamenco. As for the other three, I find it surprising that one commentator on this board warns the listener away from Mendez. Important from the liner notes is that Mendez is credited with "Instrumentation" for his three entries (which he produced). Imagine a background of chiming, vibrations, and synthesizers, on top of Eliane's singing and great supporting musicians. This overwhelms any complaint that the songs are too much on the popular side.



Levin and Elias produced all the tracks Mendez did not, and what a job they did with "Jammin'" -- It is really great! They convert it from slow-paced reggae to fast-paced jazz, as Eliane pounds down the rhythm and Randy Brecker blares out some blistering trumpet work. Eliane also does some fabulous soloing, and her overall keyboard work here is the high point of her performance on this CD. By contrast, "Oye Como Va" largely resembles the familiar Santana version in feel and execution. The shift that occurs is to more jazzy than popular, also well done.



Eliane's soft, sensual "Segredos," with its pulsating vibrations, is another highlight, a little better than her other solid original, the drifty, atmospheric penultimate track "Another Day," an introspective composition that is more on the popular side. Beck's 1990s Brazilian hit "Tropicalia" maintains the aura of sensuality with its sexy, bouncy swing. The two other Brazilian numbers and the old-line popular jazz "Save Your Love for Me" are by no means subpar entries. They are relatively more sparse musically, but carry that great rhythm of Brazil.



"Around the City" combines many different musical elements and styles. It has plenty of the most potent, musically sophisticated type of jazz, and when less high-powered, it is always pretty. It is never boring. Eliane once again tackled all the latest challenges with her excellent singing on all the tracks and versatile piano work. On top of that, I think "Around the City" has the most elaborate supporting music and production of all her CDs. "Dreamer" and "Kissed by Nature" were good for the pretty and sultry, but "Around the City" wins for the exotic.

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