Customer Reviews

Elis & Tom

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Locals consider Elis Regina the most gifted Brazilian singer ever. She died too soon, in 1982. Tom Jobim is one of the creators of Bossa Nova and the conductor that made the genre famous worldwide. This combination alone would make this CD remarkable. But there's more. A lot more.

Elis was in her top shape in 1974 when the CD was recorded. The arrangements are subtle, delicate. Jobim's piano is sublime here. The recording is flawless, the textures, the tones, everything is crisp and present. Many takes are FIRST TAKES. The emotion was captured raw and sincere, very few overdubs were done.

A rare gem.

If you go to a Brazilian's home and browse through his/her CD collection, chances are this CD will be there. If you ask a musician from that country what are the top 10 albums ever, chances are this will be listed.

If you have to own ONE Brazilian CD, this should be it.

A lot of people call this music "easy listening" but if one pays attention to the subtleties, they'll notise it's really not. It's very sophisticated, fascinating music that grows better with age, like a fine wine. Case in point: "Elis & Tom"

This album was not released in the U.S. (even though it was recorded in Los Angeles) until 1989. What a travesty. For those who loved "Wave," this one is for you. Elis Regina's voice fits Jobim's music like a glove: laid back, occasionally light-humoured, and sometimes sad. The accompaniment is equally amazing. Stark guitar smoothed landscapes without a trace of high hat are occasionally and lightly (and I mean LIGHTLY; nothing like Claus Ogerman's occasionally schmaltzy orchestra on "Wave") accented by an orchestra. Jobim's piano playing takes on a more accenting role: it makes points, rather than epounding on them. And then there is Elis. She could be the Brasilian Ella Fitzgerald. She laughs and growls in "Aguas de Marco", but overall she isn't as heavy, and is more subtle than Ella.

I love Jobim's music as instrumentals, and think that vocalisation often renders it musak-y or schmaltzy, but not in this case. Nothing could be further than the point.

If there is a finer Brazilian vocal recording in existence, I haven't heard it yet. Elis Regina is, simply, one of the finest vocalists of this century. This recording is a tour de force of emotional nuance sung with total conviction. Her delivery of "Retrato Em Branco E Preto", an incredibly difficult piece of music, is nothing short of astonishing, and if you think you've heard "Corcovado" before, listen to her reading and forget everything you've ever heard. Elis imbues several of the tracks with the trademark relaxed, breathy, conversational sensuality characteristic of the style ("Triste" is excellent), but she explores so many levels of feeling over the course of the recording that one is left breathless by the final notes of "Inutil Paisagem". I'm a jazz singer, and Elis Regina's emotional honesty and sensitivity of phrasing are benchmarks toward which I constantly strive in my own performances. If you're a fan of fine vocalists, and you don't have "Elis & Tom", don't miss the chance to add it to your collection.

At the risk of being accused of massive heresy, I'd like to point out a few things that the potential buyer should be aware of: 1) if you're of a certain generation(younger than say, 40)and aren't accustomed to hearing sacharrine-like string arrangements then there will be about 4 or 5 slow orchestra + singer tracks(non-bossa) on this album that will drive you nuts and distract from Elis's amazing voice. For example, if you get the chance, listen to the version of "Modinha" on this CD vs. the version with just Elis and Cesar on piano in the Elis DVD. I always skipped this song on the CD and now I'm realizing how sad it is that it was orchestrated...Good heavens just get out of the lady's way and let her sing. This song sounds so much better 'unplugged'! I bet the same would happen with the other tracks. It sounds a bit pretentious since the strings are not needed to make Elis 'better', due to the inherent greatness of the songs...thus, sublime songwriting by Jobim...but he should've nixed the 'ambitious' arrangements! Btw, I also dislike the version of Corcovado here...and I'm not so sure it's the definitive vocal version...I think that honor should go to Joao Gilberto...and once again, I bet if Elis has/had an unplugged version, it probably would be the among the best. Anyhow, just a controversial opinion of mine. I'm sure many disagree!
2)Many are calling this a quintessential bossa album...but nearly half the tracks are not bossa nova but modinhas...slow-tempo dramatic songs that may sound a bit 'over-the-top' to modern ears.
3)This is not my favorite singing by Elis...for my taste she is too polished and restrained on a few of the songs here(with some very notable exceptions such as Aguas de Marco)...although her singing is indeed flawless and unmatched. Call me crazy, I'd much rather hear the relaxed, soulful, or fun Elis in "Como Os Nossos Pais", "Upa Neguinho", or "Sou Caipira Pira Pora Nossa"(not sure about the title), or "Alo, Alo Marciano". At any rate, Elis was soooo much more than a bossa nova or jazz singer. She was and could be anything!
Now, as for the priceless songs...these are the ones that I pick as my faves on this CD:
1) Aguas de Marco (btw, the end part, in which Elis starts laughing is I think due to the fact that, based on my limited understanding of Portuguese, Elis and Tom start chopping off the first letter of each word starting the refrain phrases...it's onderful!)
2) Triste: So sexy...tua beleza e' um aviao, Elis!
3) Retrato em Branco e Preto- Just amazing! The strings aren't as obnoxious here, either.
4) Fotografia: brilliant!
5) Chovendo na Roseira: One of my favorite songs ever!
6) Inutil Paisagem: Great song for when you're feeling depressed...very cathartic!

Without a doubt, this is one of (if not THE) best bossa nova album I own. And I own close to 50. Regina's voice isn't in the vintage "bossa nova style," meaning she makes greater use of dynamics and melodrama than her predecessors, but the added passion works. "So Tinha de Ser Com Voce" is probably my favorite; it's the bliss and longing of being in love encapsulated in Regina's voice. The orchestral ballads are also incredibly beautiful, among the only bossa recordings that have made me want to cry. "Modinha," "Retrato em Branco e Preto," and "O Que Tinha de Ser," along with THE definitive recording of "Corcovado," are timeless classics that speak to the soul. Regardless of your preferences, if you like sensual, sublime, aching music, this is the album.

When I purchased this CD I knew I was going for something masterful. Jobim and Elis are two of the best artists not only in Brazilian Music but in humam history. The combination couldn't be better. However, as the CD began to play I was astonished. The result was beyond my expectations. Elis is sensitive, passionate, clear, funny and absolutely in tune. Jobim's compositions are genius. Here I saw all the bounderies of music style vanishing. Some of these songs could easily be placed together with Schubert, Wolf and Strauss in a classical voice recital. The sound quality is just amazing considering the recording date. It is certainly one of the best CDs I've ever bought and one of the best examples of music making.

There are 3 master albums of Bossa Nova vocals: the Sinatra/Jobim album on Warner sung in English, this Elis Regina/Tom Jobim album sung in Portuguese and "Amoroso", the Joao Gilberto/Claus Ogerman collaboration, sung in Portuguese, English, Italian, Spanish! Don't miss the chance to have all three. Elis Regina is here in a 1974 album she had the opportunity to record as a celebration of her 10-year career at Polygram Records/Brazil. The gift was a collaboration with Antonio Carlos Jobim, composer of all repertoire. The album consists of 2 different ensembles: one set by Jobim's traditional environment with strings and another set with her then-current quartet, having her then-husband as a leader, Mr. Cesar Camargo Mariano. All stars! Important Note: Bossa Nova is not necessarily Jazz. Bossa Nova is not even Latin music. Bossa Nova is ... Bossa Nova. Listen to it!

I discovered this album because of the song, "Aguas De Marco." Each of the two artists is talented on his/her own; but, the combination is greater than the sum of its parts.

Elis Regina sings effortlessly, bringing authentic emotion to each song. Her voice can be sexy, sad, joyful, and even playful.

Tom Jobim's voice and music complement Elis Regina. Their music transports the listener back to a simpler time...even if that simplicity is mere illusion (i.e. 1974 wasn't a "simpler time").

PS--For those who like printed lyrics, this CD has all of the songs' lyrics in Portuguese, and they are all translated into English.

This is a special disc. When Elis sings Jobim it's the supreme pleasure. For those who like Brazilian music this disc is essencial. Elis gives her best interpretation ever. She exceeds the expectations. Her way of singing "Águas de março" is the ultimate gift for our soul. It's difficult to choose the best music because all of them are "the best". But "Retrato em branco e preto" is unbelievable. The "Maestro" plays the piano and both - Elis and Jobim - deliver the most beautiful music ever. If one wants to have one disc of Brazilian music, this is the one. Attention to "Brigas, nunca mais" - Elis is pure rhythm. The booklet brings the lyrics in English and Portuguese, and you can see many pictures taken during the recording. It's worth and it's a great present to someone you love.

In the book "Furacao Elis" the author writes about the difficulty between Tom and Elis in recording this album, as both ideas of what the album should be, differed radically. Through the anger and joy in finding a collective idea as to what direction the album should be moving in, one can hear the range of emotions in each of the artist's voices. Elis Regina and Tom Jobim's "Aguas De Marco" is with all sincerity the most truly emotional and unpretentiously sophisticated song I have ever heard in my life, and for this it continues to be, in my opinion, the greatest work not only of Jobim, but of any of his contemporaries.
--Taylor