Elis Regina Samba – Eu Canto Assim

Soul Jazz Records/Universal Sounds Original Brazil Classics series.

In 1965, Elis Regina dominated the world of Brazilian music. Riding high on her success, the powerfully-voiced singer was the star of her own television show (O Fino da Bossa), winner of the first national broadcast musical competition (for TV Excelsior) and a stunning live performer on stage.

Having emerged out of the Bossa Nova wave of the early 1960s, Elis Regina's stunning theatrical mixture of boss nova, samba, jazz and other music styles placed her at the top of her profession and her unique style effectively launched MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira), the new post-bossa nova modern musical movement in Brazil that would reign supreme for the next 20 years, as singers such as Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso, Jorge Ben, Chico Buarque and others embraced this new style.

Artistically Elis Regina surrounded herself with only the finest songwriters and musicians such as Edu Lobo, Carlos Lyra, Marcos Valle, Vinicius de Moraes, Baden Powell.

Whilst her music was apolitical, her criticism of the military dictatorship ( from a coup in 1964), led to persecution by the state, at one point the authorities forcing her to sing the Brazilian national anthem at a stadium concert, under threat of her family's safety.

Elis was married twice, first to boss nova songwriter Ronaldo Boscoli and secondly to the musician Cesar Mariano. She tragically died in 1986, aged 36.

Samba, Eu Canto Assim is one of Elis Regina's definitive albums recorded at the height of her career and long regarded as a classic release in Brazil.