Elis & Tom

by Elis Regina, Antonio Carlos Jobim

Overview

This beautiful -- and now legendary -- recording date between iconic Brazilian vocalist Elis Regina and composer, conductor, and arranger Tom Jobim is widely regarded as one of the greatest Brazilian pop recordings. It is nearly ubiquitous among Brazilians as a household item. Regina's voice is among the most loved in the history of Brazilian music. Her range and acuity, her unique phrasing, and her rainbow of emotional colors are literally unmatched, and no matter the tune or arrangement, she employs most of them on these 14 cuts. Another compelling aspect of this recording is the young band Jobim employs here and allows pretty free rein throughout. He plays piano on eight of these tracks, and guitar on two others, but the fluid, heightened instincts of these players -- guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves, Luizao Maia on bass, drummer Paulinho Braga, and pianist Cesar Mariano -- reveal them to be at the top of their game for this rather informal date that does include a few numbers with a full orchestra. That said, most of these songs were completed as first takes with very little overdubbing. The ballads are stunning -- check"Modinha," written and arranged by Jobim. The chart, even with an orchestral backing, is amazingly terse because the composer knew Regina worked best within minimal settings. Only two minutes and 16 seconds in length, it nonetheless captures the Portuguese notion of "saudade" perfectly. Of course, most of these tunes are bossa novas. The opening "Aguas de Marco" features a deceptively simple cat-and-mouse vocal call and response, kicking the disc off on a light, cheerful note; it's a delightful and very sophisticated number, but it feels effortless. "Triste" is one of Jobim's finest tunes, and there is scarcely a better version of it than this one. Even with electric guitars (complete with a semi-funky solo in the middle eight) on top of the nylon strings, the gauzy yet pronounced rhythms and the languid melody delivered by Regina are gorgeous. "Corcovado" is done with an orchestra, full of lilting flutes and a deep string backdrop. It is mournful and sensual. Jobim plays guitar and piano here, and adds a hushed backing vocal to Regina's refrains. It's an unusual reading, but a stellar one. "Brigas, Nuncas Mais" is a wonderfully accented -- if brief -- bossa nova with all the percussion just above the threshold of hearing. It's all guitars, bass, and Regina in the first verse before the Rhodes piano and counterpoint enter near the end. She does more to express the true elegant sensuality of the bossa nova in a minute and 13 seconds than some singers have in a lifetime. Jobim's classic jazz ballad "Inutil Paisagem" is very difficult to deliver well, because it requires incredible restraint and emotion. Accompanied only by Jobim's piano -- and his all-but-whispered backing vocal -- this is truly one of Regina's greatest performances of the 1970s. It closes the album on a stunning high note, leaving nothing to be desired by the listener. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	06/03/2008
Label:	Universal / Universal Classics & Jazz
UPC:	0600753084465

Tracks

1. ¿¿guas de Mar¿¿o
2. Pois ¿¿
3. S¿¿ Tinha de Ser Com Voc¿¿
4. Modinha
5. Triste
6. Corcovado
7. O Que Tinha de Ser
8. Retrato Em Branco e Prieto
9. Brigas, Nuncas Mais
10. Por Toda a Minha Vida
11. Fotografia
12. Soneto de Separa¿¿¿¿o
13. Chovendo Na Roseira
14. In¿¿til Paisagem

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Elis Regina   Primary Artist,Vocals
Antonio Carlos Jobim   Primary Artist,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Oscar Castro-Neves   Guest Artist,Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic)
Cesar Camargo Mariano   Piano,Piano (Electric),Guitar (Acoustic)
Bill Hitchcock   Conductor
Paulinho Braga   Drums
Chico Batera   Percussion
Luizao Maia   Bass
Helio Delmiro   Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)

Technical Credits

Cesar Camargo Mariano   Arranger
Humberto Gatica   Engineer
Aloysio Oliveira   Composer,Producer
Hollis King   Art Direction
Isabelle Wong   Design
Aldo Luiz   Design
Kevin Reeves   Mastering
Chico Buarque   Composer
Neil Tesser   Liner Notes
Vinicius de Moraes   Composer
Aloysio de Oliveira   Composer,Producer
Tom Jobim   Composer
Harry Weinger   Reissue Supervisor
Cameron Mizell   Production Coordination
Seigen Ono   Remastering
Antonio Carlos Jobim   Arranger,Composer
Elis Regina   Performer