Eliane Elias

Eliane Elias (b. 1960) is a Brazilian jazz composer, pianist, and singer. Born on the 19th March 1960 in S?o Paulo, Brazil, Elias started learning to play the piano at the age of seven, and was transcribing solo portions of her parents' jazz records by the age of twelve. After studying for six years (and teaching by the age of fifteen) at Brazil's prestigious Free Centre of Music Apprenticeship, she continued her classical education with Amilton Godoy and Amaral Vieria.

Born on the 19th March 1960 in S?o Paulo, Brazil, Elias started learning to play the piano at the age of seven, and was transcribing solo portions of her parents' jazz records by the age of twelve.

After studying for six years (and teaching by the age of fifteen) at Brazil's prestigious Free Centre of Music Apprenticeship, she continued her classical education with Amilton Godoy and Amaral Vieria. She was also the prot?g? of Vinicius de Moraes, lyricist and songwriting partner of Antonio Carlos Jobim, a huge influence on Elias' work, and master of the Brazilian bossa nova movement. By the time she was seventeen years old she was touring with the best bossa nova composers and interpreters, composing her own pieces and performing at jazz clubs regularly.

Elias then moved to New York and studied privately with Olegna Fuschi at the Julliard School of Music, eventually joining jazz supergroup Steps Ahead (whose members included Eddie Gomez, Michael Brecker, Peter Erskine, and Mike Mainieri).

Her first live instrumental recording, Eliane Elias Plays Live, was recorded in Amsterdam on the 31st May 2002, and digitally released in the USA in 2010.

Elias lives in New York City with her husband, bassist Marc Johnson.

* Official site