There also seems to be a certain sense of inevitability about her latest recording, Something for You: Eliane Elias Sings and Plays Bill Evans (Blue Note), which brings her full circle back to one of the key figures in her musical development. I’d look at all of the records I used to listen to all the time and I’d see the credits: ‘Recorded in New York’ or ‘Live at the Village Vanguard.’ And I’d think, ‘That’s the place I gotta go!'” I would do interviews and the reporters would ask me, ‘So, what are you going to do with your life?’ And I would say, without hesitating, ‘Oh, I want to move to New York and be a jazz pianist.’ I was planning on it. “When I was 11 years old I knew exactly what I wanted to do,” she recalls. As a child prodigy in Brazil, there was a sense of inevitability about her career path from an early age. It had to happen she’s got too much talent.” So she finished graduating, got her master’s degree and got a record deal. She has a beautiful voice and such beautiful intonation. “That one doesn’t need any lessons, she’s a natural. “Oh, she was born a singer,” says the proud mother. And now her 24-year-old daughter, Amanda Elias-Brecker (from her marriage to trumpeter Randy Brecker), is following in her footsteps with her own first recording as a leader, currently in the works. Along the way she has added vocalist and mother to her resumé. Today she is 48 and gorgeous, still abundantly gifted with all the same musical attributes she possessed when she came to town. She quickly parlayed all of those attributes into a promising solo career, following a year-long stint in Steps Ahead from 1982 through 1983, which has led to 17 albums as a leader and much acclaim worldwide (including Gold Disc Awards in Japan and Grammy nominations in the States). “But in 2020, all our gigs were canceled.When pianist Eliane Elias arrived in New York from her native São Paulo back in August 1981, she was 21 and gorgeous, classically trained and abundantly gifted with a penchant for dazzling Bud Powell-ish right-hand lines, evocative Bill Evans-type harmonies and alluring Jobim-styled bossa nova grooves. “We launched the band before the pandemic,” Elias said. Elias also continues playing in Stranger, along with Dayton radio personality Jeff Stevens, who is lead vocalist. In addition to Elias and Hoeting, guitarist Thad Bissett and bass player Sean Kelley joined Seconds to Surrender. “We auditioned a lot of people and found some great guitar players, but we needed someone who understood guitar effects.” “The band evolved with different members coming in and out,” Elias said. He and Stranger drummer Rob Hoeting founded “Seconds to Surrender,” a cover band that plays songs from The Police and Irish rock band, U2. Now that he has retired from full time work, Elias has time to focus more on his music. He also sings lead vocals and plays bass. With Stranger, Elias plays the keyboard and the rhythm guitar, after teaching himself in college. “We quickly started to feel like rock stars.” “We started like any band playing small venues and then festivals,” Elias said. “During that time I met musicians that ended up playing with me in Stranger when we started that band about 26 years ago.” “I also played in two other bands,” Elias said. Throughout his time in college, Elias continued playing in bands – his first was Chantz – and developed enduring friendships through music. “I got the chemistry degree but then went to Pepperdine University in California for law school.” “I wanted to make the world a better place,” Elias said. But by his junior year, Elias had become interested in studying law. Explore ROBIN’S JOURNEY: Two brain surgeries reveal strength of human spiritĪfter Elias graduated in 1981, he headed to college at Miami University in Oxford, choosing to major in chemistry with the hope of one day becoming a doctor. The band stayed together for about a year but disbanded once their lead guitarist graduated high school. “They had a massive sound system and a lot of our friends from Stebbins came out to see us. They ended up earning a second place in the contest. “We pulled together the band to compete in that.”Įlias played the keyboard and sang lead in Mirage and the group created a tape with a few songs.
“What got us started is there was a contest on a local station, and it was held at a place called The Bus Stop in Dayton,” Elias said. At the time, local radio stations did a lot to promote up and coming local bands. When he was a junior in high school, Elias started playing in his first garage band – Mirage.
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