Biography

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Singer, writer & composer.
Born on novembrer 18th, 1928 in Detroit, USA.

Sheila Jeanette Dawson, 18 November 1928, Detroit, Michigan, USA. Raised in poverty in Pennsylvania’s coal-mining country, Jordan began singing as a child and by the time she was in her early teens was working semi-professionally in Detroit clubs. Her first great influence was Charlie Parker and, indeed, most of her influences have been instrumentalists rather than singers.

Working chiefly with black musicians, she met with disapproval from the white community but persisted with her career. She was a member of a vocal trio, Skeeter, Mitch And Jean (she was Jean), who sang versions of Parker’s solos in a manner akin to that of the later Lambert, Hendricks And Ross. After moving to New York in the early 50s, she married Parker’s pianist, Duke Jordan, and studied with Charles Mingus and Lennie Tristano, but it was not until the early 60s that she made her first recordings.

One of these was under her own name, the other was The Outer View with George Russell, which featured a famous 10-minute version of "You Are My Sunshine". In the mid-60s her work encompassed jazz liturgies sung in churches and extensive club work, but her appeal was narrow even within the confines of jazz.

By the late 70s jazz audiences had begun to understand her uncompromising style a little more and her popularity increased - as did her appearances on record, which included albums with pianist Steve Kuhn, whose quartet she joined, and an album, Home, comprising a selection of Robert Creeley’s poems set to music and arranged by Steve Swallow.

A 1983 duo set with bassist Harvie Swartz, Old Time Feeling, comprises several of the standards Jordan regularly features in her live repertoire, while 1990’s Lost And Found pays tribute to her bebop roots. Both sets display her unique musical trademarks, such as the frequent and unexpected sweeping changes of pitch which still tend to confound an uninitiated audience.

Entirely non-derivative, Jordan is one of only a tiny handful of jazz singers who fully deserve the appellation and for whom no other term will do.

Awards
2007 : Humanitarian 2006 IAJE has been given to Sheila Jordan on january 11th 2007. "In 1982, IAJE activated the Humanitarian Award to honor members who love for teaching transcends the usual academic environment. The honor can only be presented to a person who, over the past 20 years, has evidenced in his or her efforts to perpetuate jazz, the four elements of humanism, dedication, non-prejudice, altruism, and love."
2006 MAC Lifetime Achievement Award
2004 Lil Hardin Armstrong Jazz Heritage Award : In the spirit of Lil Hardin Armstrong’s legacy, the IAJE Women’s Caucus annually honors a pioneering female jazz musician deserving of wider recognition for her artistic excellence and outstanding contributions to jazz and to the history of women in jazz.
Jazz Vocal Coalition Special Honorary Award
2001 Downbeat Magazine Critic’s Poll
Best Female Vocalist - Top 5!
Talent Deserving Wider Recognition
Named "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" by Downbeat Magazine Critic’s Poll 9 times!
Named Top 5 in Downbeat Magazine Critic’s Poll "Established Talent" category every year since 1980.
Received two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships.
Best CD of the Year for "Lost and Found" - Wire Magazine (UK)
Vocal Album of the Year for "Confirmation" - Swing Journal - Japon