JAZZ REVIEW : Eliane Elias Takes Steps Toward Mainstream

Eliane Elias, the pianist from Sao Paulo who arrived in this country 12 years ago, revealed in a concert Thursday at Ambassador Auditorium how much headway she has made since her early days here, when she toured with the fusion group Steps Ahead.

Elias today has a powerful dual personality. While a Latin rhythmic character remains prominent in her performances of Brazilian tunes, some of the American standards played Thursday reveal the extent to which she has moved into the jazz mainstream.

This was particularly evident in a medley of “All the Things You Are” and “Bouncing With Bud,” the latter a tribute to her idol, Bud Powell. “Alone Together” and “I Love You” again found her in rhythmically propulsive form.

Surprisingly, some of the Brazilian pieces came off less effectively. “Waters of March” and “Desafinado” were too often buried in off-the-wall variations. More attractive was an unaccompanied, unannounced solo number.

On most tunes Elias benefited from a valuable rhythm section. John Patitucci’s bass pushes the envelope of the instrument’s potential; he is a true giant, and in Peter Erskine he has a partner whose drums adapt themselves equally well to the straight-ahead and Brazilian works. The company of players like these has undoubtedly contributed to Elias’ slow but sure evolution over the past decade.