Sheila Jordan - Portrait Of Sheila
Vocals – Sheila Jordan (all tracks), Steve Swallow (A4)
Bass – Steve Swallow
Drums – Denzil Best
Guitar – Barry Galbraith
Written by Richard Rodgers (A1), Lorenz Hart (A1), Tadd Dameron (A2), Carl Sigman (A2), Grant Clarke (A3), Harry Akst (A3), Bobby Timmons (A4), M. Philippe-Gérard (A5), Johnny Mercer (A5), Irving Berlin (A6), Sam M. Lewis (B1), Joe Young (B1), Ted Fiorito (B1), Wilder (B2), Engvick (B2), Hoagy Carmichael (B3), Paul Francis Webster (B3), Jack Wolf (B4), Joel Herron (B4), Frank Sinatra (B4), Oscar Brown Jr. (B5), Ann Ronell (B6)
1 LP, standard sleeve
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33RPM
Size : 12”
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : Record Technology Incorporated
Label : Blue Note Tone Poet
Original Label : Blue Note
Recorded on September 19 & October 12, 1962 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Engineered by Rudy Van Gelder
Original session produced by Alfred Lion
Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
Reissue produced by Joe Harley
Design by Reid Miles
Liner Notes by Nat Hentoff
Photography by Ziggy Willmann
Originally Released in January 1963
Reissued in October 2025
Tracks :
Side A:
- Falling in Love with Love
- If You Could See Me Now
- Am I Blue
- Dat Dere
- When the World Was Young
- Let's Face the Music and Dance
Side B:
- Laugh, Clown, Laugh
- Who Can I Turn to Now
- Baltimore Oriole
- I'm a Fool to Want You
- Hum Drum Blues
- Willow Weep for Me
Awards:
The Penguin Guide to Jazz "Core Collection"
Review :
“Sheila Jordan's debut recording was one of the very few vocal records made for Blue Note during Alfred Lion's reign. Accompanied by the subtle guitarist Barry Galbraith, bassist Steve Swallow, and drummer Denzil Best, Jordan sounds quite distinctive, cool-toned, and adventurous during her classic date. Her interpretations of Oscar Brown, Jr.'s "Hum Drum Blues" and 11 standards (including "Falling in Love With Love," "Dat Dere," "Baltimore Oriole," and "I'm a Fool to Want You") are both swinging and haunting. Possibly because of her originality, Sheila Jordan would not record again for over a dozen years, making this highly recommended set quite historic.” AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow
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. 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. 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."
The Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series was born out of Blue Note President Don Was' admiration for the exceptional audiophile Blue Note LP reissues presented by Music Matters. Was brought Joe Harley, a.k.a. the "Tone Poet," on board to curate and supervise a series of reissues from the Blue Note family of labels.
Rating:
AllMusic : 5 / 5 ; Discogs : 4.47 / 5