Concord Picante | Eliane Elias (v, p) plus various personnel including Oscar Castro-Neves (g), Marc Johnson (b) and Paulo Braga (d). Rec. dates not stated

A brilliant pianist, composer and arranger, as well as a singer whose delivery and phrasing are a benchmark of rhythmic elegance, Eliane Elias is one of the brightest stars in the latinjazz firmament. Her new record on the Concord Picante imprint, Light My Fire, spectacularly combines the pianistic brilliance of Something for You with the vocal prowess of Bossa Nova Stories, her previous two studio albums. Presenting 12 tracks with not a filler in sight – including the pulsating ‘Turn To Me (Samba Maracatú)’ co-written in 1988 by Elias and the Brazilian composer Gonzaguinha, the über sultry title track, plus an amazing reinvention of ‘Take Five’ performed as a floating vocalese – the album is infused with such a deep-seated affection for the music of Brazil that you can’t help but fall in love with it.

Incorporating elements not just of bossa nova, but also Afro-Brazilian and north eastern Brazilian rhythms, from the very opening bars of the lead-off song ‘Rosa Morena’ the core quartet of Elias, guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves, drummer Paulo Braga and bassist Marc Johnson sprinkle their collective magic over the music, with playing of transfixing eloquence. Just in case any further persuasion is needed, the legendary Gilberto Gil drops by to duet on a trio of songs, and the whole is beautifully recorded and mixed by Joe Ferla.

Peter Quinn