Eliane Elias has spent much of her career in conversation with Antonio Carlos Jobim’s music. On Dreams Of Jobim, that conversation feels especially personal. Elias knew Jobim, shared music with him and earned his trust as an interpreter of his compositions. Her new album honors that history while giving ten of his songs fresh shape through her piano, voice and inventive arrangements.

The program moves between familiar favorites and pieces Elias has not recorded before. “The Girl From Ipanema” and “Água de Beber” carry the easy sway of bossa nova, with Daniel Jobim bringing a striking reminder of his grandfather’s voice. On “Anos Dourados,” Elias shares the song with its co-writer, Chico Buarque, in a performance that feels tender and unhurried. Mark Kibble of Take 6 adds his precise vocal touch to “One Note Samba.”

Elias and her collaborators also find new paths through the songs. “Children’s Games,” recorded in Madrid with flamenco guitarist Josemi Carmona and percussionist Piraña, turns Jobim’s melody toward flamenco rhythms. The arrangement draws out a different character in the composition while keeping its melodic heart intact.

That balance runs through the album. Elias leads a band of Brazilian musicians who know this music from the inside, while bassist Marc Johnson, her husband and co-producer, and co-producer Steve Rodby help shape the arrangements with care. The result moves between piano, voice, guitar, percussion and layered harmonies without losing the graceful rhythmic flow at the center of Jobim’s music.

Dreams Of Jobim is both a tribute and a continuation of a musical friendship. Elias brings her own imagination to each performance, honoring Jobim’s melodies while letting them open in unexpected directions. The album gives these songs room to breathe, sway and linger.