Sheila Jordan

Sheila Jordan is a trailblazing jazz vocalist whose career spans over seven decades, cementing her status as a fearless innovator in vocal bebop. Born in 1928 in Detroit, she fell in love with jazz early, idolizing Charlie Parker and diving headfirst into New York’s 1950s bebop scene. Her groundbreaking 1962 debut, *Portrait of Sheila*, showcased her dizzying scat skills and emotional depth, though her career truly blossomed with late-career resurgence through raw live recordings like *Live at Mezzrow* and heartfelt collaborations like *Triotrio Meets Sheila Jordan*. Jordan’s voice—raspy, intimate, and endlessly inventive—shines on releases like *Bird Alone (Live)*, where she transforms standards into personal storytelling. A dedicated mentor, she’s nurtured generations of singers while staying stubbornly independent, balancing freewheeling improvisation with heartbreaking balladry. Whether revisiting lost gems (*Comes Love: Lost Session 1960*) or trading playful licks on *Thank you Sheila!*, Jordan remains jazz’s unstoppable spirit, proving that creativity only deepens with time.

Genres

Vocal Jazz

Jazz

Avant-garde Jazz

Bebop

Swing

Cool Jazz

Hard Bop

Modern Jazz

Related Artists

Kurt Elling

Dianne Reeves

Diana Krall

Karrin Allyson

Carmen McRae

Betty Carter

Madeleine Peyroux

Melody Gardot

Abbey Lincoln

Gretchen Parlato

Lizz Wright

Anita O'Day

Latest Release

Portrait Now

Sheila Jordan

Album - 12 Tracks - Released February 14, 2025