Liner Notes

Detroit-born singer Sheila Jordan moved to New York City in 1951 and became a fixture on the jazz scene, befriending Charlie Parker and studying with the likes of Charles Mingus and Lennie Tristano. Accompanied by a trio with Barry Galbraith on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass, and Denzil Best on drums, Jordan delivered delightful versions of songbook and jazz standards including swinging takes on Rodgers & Hart’s “Falling In Love With Love” and Irving Berlin’s “Let’s Face The Music And Dance”; expressive ballad singing on Frank Sinatra’s “I’m A Fool To Want You” and Tadd Dameron’s “If You Could See Me Now”; and a tour-de-force voice-bass duo version of Bobby Timmons’ soulful hard bop classic “Dat Dere.”

Jordan presented her inimitable vocal stylings on her 1962 debut Portrait Of Sheila , one of only two vocal albums recorded for Blue Note during that era.