(Concord Jazz)

Vocalist/pianist extraordinaire Eliane Elias turns her attention to tunes associated with the great trumpeter and singer Chet Baker. She treats each song with a style and grace fitting any tribute to Baker. Many of the arrangements reflect the influence of Elias’ Brazilian roots and the singer’s and often-sensuous vocals give the tunes a wholly different feel from Baker’s interpretations. Helping to create the musical mood here is an equally notable lineup, which includes guitarists Oscar Castro-Nieves and Steve Cardenas, drummers Victor Lewis and Rafael Barata, percussionist Marivaldo dos Santos, bassist Marc Johnson (Elias’ husband) and trumpeter Randy Brecker (Elias former husband). The project is a wonderful mix of bossa nova and ballads delivered at the high level of artistry we’ve come to expect from an Elias production .