Elis Regina: The Feeling Between The Notes
To really appreciate Elis Regina, start with the lowly half-step. It's the penny of the music world — the smallest interval on the piano. Some vocalists treat half-steps as annoying afterthoughts. They smush them together into a blur. Regina's art happens inside the half-steps, in the tiny increments that make up a melody.
When Regina sings, half-steps seem to expand. Partly, that's a reflection of her exacting technique: When she wants to, she can nail the most challenging intervals. At the same time, she's not at all fussy. Her lazy, endlessly sloping phrases magnify the sometimes hidden shades of meaning in a lyric. She's the rare singer who can conjure an ocean of love trouble in the space between C and C-sharp.
A Subtle Hurricane
Regina grew up in Porto Alegre, in the south of Brazil. She began singing professionally as a young teen, and rose to prominence after a 1965 appearance at a big music festival. She gathered a bunch of nicknames as she became popular in the 1960s; her feisty, demanding ways in the studio led some musicians to affectionately call her "Little Pepper," while her penchant for wild, gesticulating drama in live performance brought her the tag "Hurricane."
Like so many Brazilians, she learned her craft by interpreting the intricate, half-step-rich songs of Antonio Carlos Jobim. One of her career milestones, recorded in the early '70s, is an intimate duo recording with the great composer — Jobim backs Regina on piano — titled Elis and Tom.
The song "Inutil Paisagem" is a stunning lament about a lost romance. It talks about how, when you're missing a lover, even the beauty of nature can seem meaningless. Regina's delivery is so calm, so pensive. Each thought seems to still the air.
Mixing Jazz, Rock And A Way Of Being
Regina brought a mischievous streak and a jazz singer's taste for adventure to everything she did. She reimagined samba and bossa nova classics. And in the late '60s, she became a champion of the young Brazilian songwriters who were integrating elements of British and American rock. Her interpretations of songs such as "Nada Sera Como Antes," by Milton Nascimento, helped bring attention to this new generation of talents — the movement known as Tropicalia.
In a way, Regina is similar to iconic figures such as Janis Joplin or Billie Holiday — singers whose recordings define not just a style, but a way of being. Today, young performers talk about being intimidated when they attempt songs Regina made famous. There's good reason for that, but at the same time, Elis Regina is totally approachable. She just slinks along, in her quiet way, calmly attending to the details. She's the essence of poise, mulling the big questions about life and romance one magnificent half-step at a time.
Regina died at age 36 in 1982, after bouts with depression and drug addiction; her memorial drew more than 100,000 people to a stadium in Sao Paulo.
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- Elis & Tom by Antonio Carlos Jobim & Elis Regina
ROBERT SIEGEL, host:
Singer Elis Regina was so loved in her native Brazil that when she died in 1982, 100,000 people filled the stadium for her memorial.
Critic Tom Moon makes his case for why her voice is the latest in our yearlong series 50 Great Voices.
TOM MOON: To really appreciate Elis Regina, start with the lowly half-step. It's the penny of the music world; the smallest interval on the piano.
(Soundbite of music)
MOON: Some vocalists treat half-steps as annoying afterthoughts. They smush them together into a blur. Elis Regina's art happens inside the half-steps, the tiny increments that make up a melody.
(Soundbite of music)
Ms. ELIS REGINA (Musician): (Singing in foreign language)
MOON: When Elis Regina sings, half-steps seem to expand. Partly, that's a reflection of her exacting technique. When she wants to, she can nail the most challenging intervals. Her lazy, endlessly sloping phrases magnify the hidden shades of meaning in a lyric. She's the rare singer who can conjure an ocean of love trouble in the space between C and C-sharp.
(Soundbite of music)
Ms. REGINA: (Singing in foreign language)
MOON: Regina grew up in Porto Alegre, in the south of Brazil. She began singing professionally as a young teen, and rose to prominence after a 1965 appearance at a big music festival. Like so many Brazilians, she learned her craft interpreting the intricate half-step rich songs of Antonio Carlos Jobim.
One of her career milestones, recorded in the early 1970s, is an intimate duet with the great composer, entitled "Elis and Tom." Jobim backs Regina on piano for the stunning lament about a lost romance.
(Soundbite of song, "Elis and Tom")
Ms. REGINA: (Singing in foreign language)
MOON: The song talks about how when you're missing a lover, even the beauty of nature can seem meaningless. Check out Regina's delivery, so calm, so pensive. Each thought seems to still the air.
(Soundbite of song, "Elis and Tom")
Ms. REGINA: (Singing in foreign language)
MOON: Regina brought a mischievous streak and a jazz singer's taste for adventure to everything she did. She reimagined samba and bossa nova classics. And in the late '60s, became a champion of the young Brazilian songwriters who were integrating elements of British and American rock. Her interpretations of songs like this one by Milton Nascimento, helped bring attention to this new generation of talent.
(Soundbite of music)
Ms. REGINA: (Singing in foreign language)
MOON: Today, young performers talk about being intimidated when they attempt songs Regina made famous. There's good reason for that. But at the same time, Elis Regina is totally approachable. She just slinks along in her quiet way, calmly attending to the details. She's the essence of poise, mulling the big questions about life and romance one magnificent half-step at a time.
(Soundbite of music)
Ms. REGINA: (Singing in foreign language)
SIEGEL: That's music critic Tom Moon, a member of our 50 Great Voices panel. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
