231:. She grew up with nine siblings who were really her aunts and uncles. Life with her grandparents was difficult -- money was tight, there was little warmth or affection from her grandparents, and her grandfather was also an alcoholic. Jordan has said: "We were probably the poorest people in a poor town…we had an outhouse and no water in the house… In the wintertime all of us would sleep in one bedroom without any sheets or pillowcases on the beds; we just had blankets.”
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She returned to
Detroit, living with her mother, in 1940 or 1942. She sang and played piano in jazz clubs in Detroit. She was a member of the trio Skeeter, Mitch, and Jean (Skeeter Spight, Leroi Mitchell, and Jordan, using part of her middle name, was "Jean"), which wrote lyrics to music by
219:. Her childhood was very difficult. Her mother was only 17 when Sheila was born and struggled to raise a child, unfortunately turning to alcohol as a means of coping. Jordan was sent to live with her grandparents in the small coal mining town of
291:
New York City. She withdrew from clubs for much of the '60s to raise her daughter, and sang in church instead. For 20 years, she worked as a typist and legal secretary with little time to concentrate on music until she was 58.
359:
and taught there from 1978–2005. In 2006, she was presented the
Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) Lifetime Achievement Award and celebrated 28 years as an adjunct professor of music. She has taught at
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singer and songwriter. She has recorded as a session musician with an array of critically acclaimed artists in addition to recording her own albums. Jordan pioneered a
256:
the music of
Charlie Parker. Jordan and Parker became friends before his death in 1955; she refers to him as one of her teachers. From 1952–1962, she was married to
399:. During the 1980s, she worked with Harvie S as a duo and played on several records with him. Until 1987 she worked in an advertising agency and recorded
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One of the most consistently creative of all jazz singers, Sheila Jordan has a relatively small voice, but has done the maximum with her instrument.
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it produced a daughter, Tracy, of whom Sheila says she finally had someone “that I could truly love and that I was sure would love me back”.
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as the only accompaniment. Jordan's music has earned praise from many critics, particularly for her ability to improvise lyrics;
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974:"Lulu: Last 2 Nights! Sept. 20 & 21, Sheila Jordan & Steve Kuhn: '... million dollar ears!'"
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1232:"Jazz Great & Ccny Music Professor Sheila Jordan Wins MAC Lifetime Achievement Award"
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describes her as "one of the most consistently creative of all jazz singers."
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1354:"Perfection and Paralysis: Laura Valle on the Dichotomy of Performance"
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1145:(1st Limelight ed.). New York: Limelight Editions. p. 156.
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often introduced Jordan as "the lady with the million dollar ears."
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430:. In the UK she appeared with former John Dankworth Band vocalist
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In the early 1960s, Jordan performed at the Page Three Club in
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In 1951, Jordan moved to New York City and studied harmony and
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78:
487:
2010 New York
Nightlife Award – Outstanding Jazz Vocalist
1382:
Jazz Child: A Portrait of Sheila Jordan by Ellen
Johnson
1189:
Witherden, Barry (May 1987). "A Singer in the Mirror".
958:"Saturday, March 21st: 10:30 – Focus on Women in Music"
1168:"Joy and Justice: the Jazz Journey of Sheila Jordan"
1102:"Sheila Jordan - Portrait of a Legend - Jazz Views"
1005:"Sheila Jordan - Portrait of a Legend - Jazz Views"
991:"Sheila Jordan - Portrait of a Legend - Jazz Views"
434:. She has led recordings for Blue Note, Blackhawk,
964:. March 1981. p. 26. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
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891:
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1401:National Public Radio program with Billy Taylor
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327:began in the early 1960s. She also played with
16:American jazz singer and songwriter (born 1928)
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980:. September 23, 1980. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
468:Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs
375:. One year later she released the duet album
1294:National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters
1224:
858:
504:Outstanding Contributions to the Art of Jazz
475:International Association for Jazz Education
1045:"Billy Taylor's Jazz at the Kennedy Center"
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652:(Cellar Live, 2022) – live recorded in 2021
355:In 1974, Jordan was Artist in Residence at
1263:"Sheila Jordan's Slow Rise to Recognition"
1208:. New England Public Radio. Archived from
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865:The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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313:). Later that year she recorded the album
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1414:Sheila Jordan interviewed by Eric Jackson
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900:"Bebop and Beyond: Sheila Jordan Speaks"
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1422:for BBC Radio 3's 'Jazz Library' series
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1325:Jazz Child: A Portrait of Sheila Jordan
1322:
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1082:. National Endowment for the Arts. 2012
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902:. Detroit Music History. Archived from
839:
662:
484:' Women in Jazz for Lifetime of Service
455:Jazz Child: A Portrait of Sheila Jordan
1428:
1261:Feather, Leonard (February 23, 1989).
387:. In 1979, she founded a quartet with
362:University of Massachusetts at Amherst
1203:
1165:
1114:
1018:Vitro, Roseanna (November 29, 2012).
1017:
323:. Her long working relationship with
640:(Splasc(h), 2005) – recorded in 2004
568:(Palo Alto, 1983) – recorded in 1982
524:(Blue Note, 1963) – recorded in 1962
460:
406:Jordan is a songwriter who works in
299:, with whom she recorded the song, "
174:; November 18, 1928) is an American
1117:"Interview: Sheila Jordan (Part 2)"
897:
634:with Cameron Brown (HighNote, 2005)
536:with Johnny Knapp (Grapevine, 1977)
342:
13:
1234:. Tribeca Performing Arts Center:
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1522:
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1323:Johnson, Ellen (September 2014).
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701:I've Grown Accustomed to the Bass
1420:2009 interview with Alyn Shipton
1238:. April 10, 2006. Archived from
1143:Four Lives in the Bebop Business
628:with Steve Kuhn (HighNote, 2003)
610:with Steve Kuhn (HighNote, 1999)
289:, and at other bars and clubs in
1352:Vedasto, JP (August 31, 2020).
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1298:National Endowment for the Arts
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1166:Dagan, Ori (January 28, 2009).
1115:Myers, Marc (January 5, 2012).
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492:National Endowment for the Arts
371:On July 12, 1975, she recorded
206:
1388:Interview at vancouverjazz.com
1206:"Sheila Jordan and Steve Kuhn"
997:
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1:
1416:on WGBH's Eric in the Evening
1204:Reney, Tom (April 27, 2012).
1020:"Sheila Jordan: Vocal Shaman"
832:
751:When Elephants Dream of Music
656:Comes Love: Lost Session 1960
622:with Harvie Swartz (MA, 2000)
598:with Mark Murphy (Muse, 1993)
592:with Harvie Swartz (MA, 1993)
497:Award – Lifetime Honors Award
1501:Jazz musicians from Michigan
1496:SteepleChase Records artists
1236:The City College of New York
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92:Musician, singer, songwriter
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1511:21st-century American women
1506:Justin Time Records artists
1446:American women jazz singers
817:
10:
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558:, 1980) – recorded in 1979
546:, 1978) – recorded in 1977
470:Lifetime Achievement Award
449:In 2012, she received the
211:Sheila Jordan was born in
1491:Palo Alto Records artists
1471:Blue Note Records artists
295:In 1962, she worked with
265:In a 2012 interview with
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1481:HighNote Records artists
795:(Knitting Factory, 2000)
357:City College of New York
276:
1141:Spellman, A.B. (1985).
1051:. National Public Radio
678:Escalator over the Hill
620:The Very Thought of Two
70:Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
1329:Rowman and Littlefield
1300:. 2012. Archived from
453:Award. Her biography,
352:
186:singing style with an
172:Sheila Jeanette Dawson
50:Sheila Jeanette Dawson
40:Background information
1451:American jazz singers
658:(Capri Records, 2021)
614:Sheila's Back in Town
542:with Arild Andersen (
351:Sheila Jordan in 1985
350:
254:, but concentrated on
1486:Muse Records artists
1466:Singers from Detroit
1358:World Musician Press
1104:. November 18, 2022.
1007:. November 18, 2022.
993:. November 18, 2022.
898:Latimer, Charles L.
663:As featured vocalist
1476:ECM Records artists
872:. pp. 1324/5.
870:Guinness Publishing
646:(Justin Time, 2008)
446:, and SteepleChase
418:Concert Jazz Band,
366:Vermont Jazz Center
301:You Are My Sunshine
229:Allegheny Mountains
1380:Official site for
978:The Boston Phoenix
868:(First ed.).
521:Portrait of Sheila
477:Humanitarian Award
438:, ECM, Grapevine,
353:
316:Portrait of Sheila
1409:feature from 2005
1290:"Lifetime Honors"
1268:Los Angeles Times
1212:on August 6, 2012
1076:"Lifetime Honors"
717:The Water Is Wide
616:(Splasc(h), 1999)
590:Songs from Within
574:(BlackHawk, 1984)
554:with Steve Kuhn (
530:(East Wind, 1975)
482:Mary Lou Williams
461:Awards and honors
283:Greenwich Village
162:
161:
154:.sheilajordanjazz
65:November 18, 1928
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906:on March 4, 2016
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703:(HighNote, 2000)
580:(CBS/Sony, 1987)
562:Old Time Feeling
451:NEA Jazz Masters
343:1970s to present
271:Chasin' the Bird
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927:"Sheila Jordan"
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823:Former students
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787:(Philips, 1979)
697:(OmniTone 1997)
665:
650:Live At Mezzrow
644:Winter Sunshine
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303:" on his album
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248:Lennie Tristano
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1407:One Final Note
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1369:External links
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1170:. TheWholeNote
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401:Lost and Found
381:Arild Andersen
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306:The Outer View
297:George Russell
287:Herbie Nichols
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252:Charles Mingus
237:Charlie Parker
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196:Charlie Parker
164:Musical artist
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25:Sheila Jordan
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1461:Scat singers
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1324:
1318:
1306:. Retrieved
1302:the original
1293:
1284:
1272:. Retrieved
1266:
1256:
1244:. Retrieved
1240:the original
1226:
1214:. Retrieved
1210:the original
1199:
1190:
1184:
1172:. Retrieved
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1142:
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1124:. Retrieved
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1084:. Retrieved
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1053:. Retrieved
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1027:. Retrieved
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945:
938:. Retrieved
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908:. Retrieved
904:the original
863:
860:Colin Larkin
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764:Roswell Rudd
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710:Jane Bunnett
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681:(JCOA, 1971)
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604:(Muse, 1994)
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586:(Muse, 1990)
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544:SteepleChase
539:
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528:Confirmation
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502:Bistro Award
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448:
432:Frank Holder
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385:SteepleChase
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373:Confirmation
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337:Roswell Rudd
335:(1972), and
319:released by
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244:music theory
241:
233:
225:Pennsylvania
210:
207:Early career
188:upright bass
171:
167:
166:
113:SteepleChase
18:
1436:1928 births
1394:Jazz Italia
828:Laura Valle
813:(ECM, 1980)
737:(ECM, 1983)
632:Celebration
626:Little Song
509:Discography
495:Jazz Master
339:(1972–75).
331:(1967–68),
329:Don Heckman
258:Duke Jordan
192:Scott Yanow
137:Justin Time
1430:Categories
962:KPFA Folio
833:References
784:Blown Bone
670:Carla Bley
608:Jazz Child
551:Playground
424:Carla Bley
389:Steve Kuhn
333:Lee Konitz
325:Steve Kuhn
221:Summerhill
61:1928-11-18
46:Birth name
1308:August 2,
1274:August 3,
1246:August 3,
1216:August 3,
1174:August 3,
1126:August 3,
1086:August 3,
1080:Biography
1055:August 3,
1029:August 3,
1024:JazzTimes
940:August 3,
910:August 3,
744:Bob Moses
514:As leader
444:Palo Alto
436:East Wind
412:free jazz
403:in 1989.
397:Bob Moses
321:Blue Note
311:Riverside
202:Biography
184:scat jazz
129:Palo Alto
125:East Wind
109:Blue Note
83:free jazz
1191:The Wire
935:AllMusic
818:Academia
755:Rykodisc
566:Harvie S
393:Harvie S
364:and the
217:Michigan
117:HighNote
1396:article
1121:JazzWax
757:, 1982)
734:Theatre
379:, with
267:JazzWax
227:in the
213:Detroit
147:Website
1335:
1149:
876:
777:Arista
719:(1993)
540:Sheila
534:Sheila
426:, and
395:, and
377:Sheila
170:(born
105:Labels
75:Genres
800:With
762:With
742:With
724:With
708:With
686:With
668:With
564:with
500:2018
490:2012
480:2008
473:2007
466:2006
408:bebop
277:1960s
246:with
180:bebop
1333:ISBN
1310:2013
1276:2013
1248:2013
1218:2013
1176:2013
1147:ISBN
1128:2013
1088:2013
1057:2013
1031:2013
942:2013
912:2013
874:ISBN
810:Home
440:Muse
410:and
383:for
250:and
182:and
176:jazz
156:.net
133:Muse
79:Jazz
55:Born
556:ECM
152:www
121:ECM
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