Born on the 19th March 1960 in São 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 protégé 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
The classical tradition meets the spontaneity of jazz through the virtuosic playing of Brazil-born and New York-based pianist Eliane Elias. A former member of jazz ensemble Steps Ahead, Elias has continued to explore two distinct musical streams through her solo recordings and her performances since the mid-'80s. In 1993, she became one of the few artists to release jazz and classical albums simultaneously. In a review of a concert in her homeland, Brazil magazine praised Elias for "her dazzling right-hand runs, executed often at frightening speeds. Her command of the keyboard was total. Her harmonic sensibility caused a sense of wonderment."
Elias may have inherited at least some of her musical talents from her mother, Lucy, a classical pianist who often played jazz records in the family home. After studying for six years at the Free Center of Music Apprenticeship in São Paulo, she continued to study classical technique with Amilton Godoy and Amaral Vieira. By her teens, Elias was composing her own pieces and performing in jazz clubs. While touring in Europe in 1981, she met jazz bassist Eddie Gomez and was encouraged to travel to New York. Arriving in the Big Apple the following year, she studied privately with Olegna Fuschi at the Juilliard School of Music. Elias' professional career received a boost when she was invited to join Steps Ahead, a jazz "supergroup" featuring Michael Brecker, Peter Erskine, Mike Manieri, and Eddie Gomez. She recorded one album with the group -- Steps Ahead -- in 1983. Shortly after leaving Steps Ahead, Elias began collaborating with trumpet player Randy Brecker, whom she subsequently married but later divorced. Their sole duo album, released in 1985, was named after their daughter Amanda. The following year, Elias launched her career as a bandleader. Since then, she's alternated tours with two different trios, one featuring drummer Jack DeJohnette and bassist Gomez and the other featuring drummer Erskine and her current husband, bassist Marc Johnson. Elias has also performed with a third trio, featuring Johnson on bass and Satoshi Takeishi on drums.
She signed with Blue Note in 1989, and released her debut for the label, So Far So Close, the same year with a slew of guests. While most of her recordings have been instrumental, Elias introduced her soft but coarse vocals on her 1990 album Eliane Elias Plays Jobim, and has employed vocals on occasion ever since. Her 1995 album Solos and Duets featured a brilliantly executed duet with Herbie Hancock. In addition to working periodically with Toots Thielemans' Brasil Project, Elias has served as musical director for Gilberto Gil's group. While she continued to record for the rest of the '90s, it was 2000's Impulsive! that proved one of the largest surprises in her career as she collaborated with conductor and arranger Bob Brookmeyer leading the Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra. In 2002 she left Blue Note for RCA's Bluebird label, where she debuted with Kissed by Nature, a primarily vocal album, and followed it up with the lovely Dreamer in 2004. Elias released Around the City in 2006, a collection of primarily vocal tracks that moved ever further into pop territory, covering music by Santana, Bob Marley, and even Beck. It was her final album for Bluebird.
She returned to Blue Note for 2007's Something for You: Elaine Elias Sings & Plays Bill Evans, fronting a trio with Johnson (who played with Evans) and drummer Joey Baron. In 2009, she issued what many have argued is her finest recording, Bossa Nova Stories, fully engaging her Brazilian heritage in bossa and samba and illustrating her singular jazz instincts as a pianist. In 2010, Savoy Records issued Timeless Eliane Elias, a compilation of tracks culled from her mid-'80s recordings Illusions and Cross Currents. In late 2010, Elias signed with Concord; in the late spring of 2011 she released Light My Fire, her debut set on the label. A year later, Elias paired with bassist Marc Johnson for the instrumental ECM date, Swept Away. In 2013, Elias paid homage to trumpeter/vocalist Chet Baker with I Thought About You: A Tribute to Chet Baker. ~ Craig Harris & Thom Jurek, Rovi
I'm Not Alone
Eliane Elias Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Part of my heart, part of my soul, sweet memory
I see your stars, I dream your dreams, wild and so free
I'm not alone, I'm not alone, I′m not alone
I hear guitars playing a song you used to love
Shaping the night into the night, I′m dreaming of
The night we loved until we moved heaven above
Who loves you? Who loves you? Who loves you?
I hear guitars playing a song you used to love
Shaping the night into the night, I'm dreaming of
The night we loved until we moved heaven above
I hear guitars changing the night into our love
Until we moved heaven above
I hear guitars changing the night into our love
Who loves you? Who loves you? Who loves you?
Who loves you? Who loves you? Who loves you?
The lyrics to Eliane Elias's song "I'm Not Alone" are about finding solace and companionship in the memories of a loved one, even when physically alone. The singer expresses that when they are alone, they are not truly alone because the presence and memories of their loved one are still with them. The person they miss is a part of their heart and soul, and they feel connected through sweet memories. Despite the absence, the singer feels a sense of comfort and belonging knowing that their loved one is always present in their thoughts and dreams. The mention of hearing guitars playing a song their loved one used to love signifies the power of music to keep their memory alive and to evoke the emotions and experiences they shared together. The lyrics reflect on the deep love and connection the singer had with their partner, and how they continue to carry that bond within them even when physically apart.
Line by Line Meaning
When I'm alone, I'm not alone, you're here with me
Even though I may physically be alone, I still feel your presence and love.
Part of my heart, part of my soul, sweet memory
You hold a special place in my heart and soul, like a cherished and beautiful memory.
I see your stars, I dream your dreams, wild and so free
I envision the things you love and dream about, filled with excitement and freedom.
I'm not alone, I'm not alone, I'm not alone
I want to emphasize that despite being physically alone, I feel your presence and love, making me feel supported and connected.
I hear guitars playing a song you used to love
The sound of guitars reminds me of a song you used to adore.
Shaping the night into the night, I'm dreaming of
The music and atmosphere create a dreamscape where I can lose myself in thoughts of you.
The night we loved until we moved heaven above
During that special night, our love was so intense that it felt as if we had the power to move the heavens themselves.
I hear guitars changing the night into our love
The music symbolizes how our love can transform and enhance an ordinary night into something extraordinary.
Who loves you? Who loves you? Who loves you?
I am left wondering who else loves and cherishes you like I do.
Until we moved heaven above
Our love was so powerful that it felt as if we could impact the celestial realm.
Who loves you? Who loves you? Who loves you?
I am left with unanswered questions about who else holds love for you.
Who loves you? Who loves you? Who loves you?
The uncertainties regarding who loves you remain, causing me to constantly question and long for confirmation.
Writer(s): Will Jennings, Ivan Guimares Lins, Vitor Martins
Contributed by Mason D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sueli Felsky
Ivan lins ,compositor de categoria ,fantástico .
Marian Chacon
Absolutamente bellisima,
Linda voz, la letra es apacionada. Excelente
Melodia. Bravo!!! Gracias
A dos excelente artistas!
Rayza Nayara
que banda maravilhosa,o melhor da música brasileira.
Marian Chacon
An amazing rendition of a
Lovely rendition. Lovely
Bodacious voice, melody
+ orchestration. TQ
Victor Liboiron
Eliane and Ivan complement each other beautifully....only wish they sang together more
Sonny Alaan
Cool cool voice...I'm not alone..I have your music with me, Eliane.
Jose Vasques
Maravilhosamente maravilhosa
Manuel Couto
Aqui está uma música capaz de me fazer viajar !!!!!! Eliane Elias uma excelente cantora instrumentista capaz de fazer magia em cada interpretação musical.
pfdfcc
What’s with the 9 thumbs down? This is one of the most beautiful songs ever written and done perfectly by a very talented woman. WTF!
yedkass
Eliane es inigualable