Sheila Jordan

Sheila Jordan
Sheila Jordan
	Jordan in 1985
Background information
Birth name	Sheila Jeanette Dawson
Born	November 18, 1928; Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died	August 11, 2025 (aged 96); New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Jazz; free jazz;
Occupation(s)	Musician; singer; songwriter; Template:Force singular
Instruments	Vocals; piano;
Labels	Blue Note; SteepleChase; HighNote; ECM; East Wind; Palo Alto; Muse; Justin Time;
Spouse(s)	Duke Jordan (m. 1952⁠–⁠1962)
Website	www.sheilajordanjazz.net

Sheila Jeannette Jordan (née Dawson; November 18, 1928 – August 11, 2025) was an American jazz singer-songwriter. She was known for singing bebop and scat jazz.^[1]^[2]

Jordan died on August 11, 2025 at her apartment in New York City at the age of 96.^[3]

Works

Portrait of Sheila (Blue Note, 1963) – recorded in 1962
Confirmation (East Wind, 1975)
Sheila with Johnny Knapp (Grapevine, 1977)
Sheila with Arild Andersen (SteepleChase, 1978) – recorded in 1977
Playground with Steve Kuhn (ECM, 1980) – recorded in 1979
Old Time Feeling with Harvie S (Palo Alto, 1983) – recorded in 1982
The Crossing (BlackHawk, 1984)
Body and Soul (CBS/Sony, 1987)
Lost and Found (Muse, 1990)
Songs from Within with Harvie Swartz (MA, 1993)
One for Junior with Mark Murphy (Muse, 1993)
Heart Strings (Muse, 1994)
Jazz Child with Steve Kuhn (HighNote, 1999)
Sheila's Back in Town (Splasc(h), 1999)
The Very Thought of Two with Harvie Swartz (MA, 2000)
Little Song with Steve Kuhn (HighNote, 2003)
Believe in Jazz with Serge Forté Trio (France, 2004)
Celebration with Cameron Brown (HighNote, 2005)
Straight Ahead (Splasc(h), 2005) – recorded in 2004
Winter Sunshine (Justin Time, 2008)
Yesterdays (HighNote, 2012)
Live At Mezzrow (Cellar Live, 2022) – live recorded in 2021
Comes Love: Lost Session 1960 (Capri Records, 2021)
trioTrio Meets Sheila Jordan (Steeplechase, 2022)
Portrait Now (Dot Time Records, 2025)

References

↑ "Saturday, March 21st: 10:30 – Focus on Women in Music". KPFA Folio. March 1981. p. 26. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
↑ "Lulu: Last 2 Nights! Sept. 20 & 21, Sheila Jordan & Steve Kuhn: '... million dollar ears!'". The Boston Phoenix. September 23, 1980. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
↑ Ulaby, Neda; Mayer, Petra (August 11, 2025). "Sheila Jordan, a singular voice in jazz, has died". VPM. Retrieved August 12, 2025.

Other websites

Official site
Official site for Jazz Child: A Portrait of Sheila Jordan by Ellen Johnson Archived 2019-07-09 at the Wayback Machine
Interview at vancouverjazz.com Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
Jazz Italia article Archived 2023-10-18 at the Wayback Machine

[1] "Saturday, March 21st: 10:30 – Focus on Women in Music". KPFA Folio. March 1981. p. 26. Retrieved May 10, 2022.

[2] "Lulu: Last 2 Nights! Sept. 20 & 21, Sheila Jordan & Steve Kuhn: '... million dollar ears!'". The Boston Phoenix. September 23, 1980. Retrieved May 10, 2022.

[death-3] Ulaby, Neda; Mayer, Petra (August 11, 2025). "Sheila Jordan, a singular voice in jazz, has died". VPM. Retrieved August 12, 2025.

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