Sheila Jordan: A Visit With the Jazz Child

There may be some question about whether certain singers are “jazz” singers, but there is no question about Sheila Jordan’s jazz bona fides. She has a pedigree that goes back to sitting in with Charlie Parker in the 1940s and continues up to the present day. She knew from the first time she heard Bird that this was the music she wanted to devote her life to and she has. Her roots are in Bop, but she is constantly experimenting to discover new vocal approaches to the music. She is preeminent in a format few singers will undertake, which is performing just with bass—no keyboard or other instruments. She can handle it, which Bird knew when he said she was “the kid with the million dollar ears.” She led what may have been the first jazz vocal workshop in 1978 at City College of New York and has become a renowned and inspiring teacher. Her dedication to the music is matched only by her stamina, as she has continued to travel to teach and perform into her early 90s. She has received a significant number of awards, including being named an NEA Jazz Master in 2011. I was fortunate to have her on my radio program a few years ago and her spirit is infectious, as anyone who has met or watched her perform can attest. I heartily suggest her autobiography Jazz Child. She was kind enough to respond to some questions via email and I have edited her responses (and eliminated my questions)