Elis and Tom (1974)

“Elis and Tom” (Elis Regina and Antonio “Tom” Jobim) is the title of an album recorded in L.A. in 1974. It was not released in the U.S. until 1989 but I found a copy of it years before 1989 and it has always been a favorite of mine. Perhaps the reason it was not released in this country until 15 years after it was recorded is because the lyrics are in Portuguese.

It is a classic recording of Jobim tunes and Elis was a great Brazilian singer. For many Brazilians she was the greatest singer and Jobim their greatest contemporary composer.

The recording is at times sparse and at times lush and the arrangements are, in my opinion, magnificent.

Elis died at the age of 37 in 1982 from an accidental overdose. Jobim passed away on December 8, 1994 at the age of 67.

This is a great recording that I keep coming back to and in 2004 a remaster was done which includes a 5 to 1 DVD mix.