MARC JOHNSON · ELIANE ELIAS — Swept Away (2012) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

No one familiar with the past work of bassist Marc Johnson and pianist Eliane Elias will be surprised to find that this album finds them working in an exploratory mode; Johnson has long been one of the most interesting bassists on the modern jazz scene, and Elias' résumé is all over the place. But the sweetness, the quiet, and the sometimes deeply haunting melancholy of Swept Away may catch listeners unawares. Elias and Johnson are joined here by the two musicians who are more perfectly suited to this type of project than any others on the scene today: saxophonist Joe Lovano (currently the go-to player for virtually every serious jazz session in New York) and the preternaturally sensitive drummer Joey Baron, a man who has made more session leaders sound wonderful over the past 20 years than any other. Baron and Johnson face a serious challenge on this program: the tempos are generally slow, the sense of swing sometimes nearly subliminal, and that puts bassists and drummers in an awkward position. But on tracks like "It's Time" and the lovely "B Is for Butterfly," they keep the thread steady and reliable without dictating a beat or drawing undue attention; when the time comes to lay down a solid groove (as on the wonderful "B Is for Butterfly"), they do so elegantly and seemingly without effort. Swept Away is the best example of what has come to be called "ECM jazz" -- quiet, spacious, and friendly, but complex as well and easily able to stand up to close listening. Rick Anderson
Tracklist :
1.    Swept Away    6:18
 Eliane Elias 
2.    It's Time    5:49
 Eliane Elias 
3.    One Thousand And One Nights    8:18
 Eliane Elias 
4.    When The Sun Comes Up    6:36
 Marc Johnson 
5.    B Is For Butterfly    8:05
 Eliane Elias 
6.    Midnight Blue    6:00
 Marc Johnson 
7.    Moments    5:50
 Eliane Elias 
8.    Sirens Of Titan    5:55
 Eliane Elias / Marc Johnson 
9.    Foujita    6:36
 Marc Johnson 
10.    Inside Her Old Music Box    5:27
 Eliane Elias / Marc Johnson 
11.    Shenandoah    4:35
 -Traditional
Credits :
Double Bass – Marc Johnson 
Drums – Joey Baron
Piano – Eliane Elias
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Lovano

RANDY BRECKER & ELIANE ELIAS – Amanda (1986) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Considering the talents of trumpeter Randy Brecker and his wife, pianist Eliane Elias, one would expect their 1985 collaboration to be quite worthwhile. However this out-of-print LP is a disappointment for they perform generally weak material, emphasize electronics and utilize rather dull rhythms. Brecker's tone is distorted on many of the numbers and even the presence of altoist Sadao Watanabe, tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, bassist Mark Egan and drummer Danny Gottlieb on some selections does not save this effort. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :

1. Splash (5:22)

2. Para Nada (For Nothing) (7:09)

3. Pandamandium (6:25)

4. Samba De Bamba (8:16)

5. Amandamada (4:46)

6. Guaruja (8:51)

Credits :

Eliane Elias-piano, keyboards, flute, lead and background vocals

Randy Brecker-trumpet, electric trumpet

Michael Brecker-tenor saxophone, alto flute, background vocals

Dave Weckl-drums

Danny Gottlieb-drums

Will Lee-bass, background vocals

Manolo Badrena-percussions

Mark Egan-bass

Jeff Minorov-guitars

Sadao Watanabe-alto saxophone

Cyro Baptista-percussions

Chris Parker-drums

Barry Finnerty-guitar, background vocals