Ruth Leon recommends… Sheila Jordan – Birdland

Sheila Jordan – Birdland

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Sheila Jordan is 94 years old, an American jazz singer and songwriter who is still performing and recording all over the world. This week she and her Trio are touching down at Birdland Theater in Manhattan and their performance will be livestreamed on Friday at 9.30pm ET.

The indefatiguable Sheila Jordan has recorded as a session musician with an array of critically acclaimed artists in addition to recording her own albums.
In the 1950s she pioneered a bebop and scat jazz singing style with an upright bass as the only accompaniment.

Jordan’s music has earned praise from many critics, particularly for her ability to improvise lyrics; The American jazz historian Scott Yanow   describes her as “one of the most consistently creative of all jazz singers.”  Charlie Parker  often introduced Jordan as “the lady with the million dollar ears.”

Her discography as leader is, as you would imagine from someone of her age, huge. In 2012, she received the Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts. She is one of the true jazz legends and any chance to see her perform shouldn’t be missed.
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Other livestreams from Birdland this week include
Tuesday 22 @ 9:30pm: The Ken Peplowski Quartet “Hidden Treasures: Ken’s American Songbook”
Tuessday 22 @ 8.30pm: Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks
Wednesday 23 @ 8:30pm: Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night with Pianist Bill Charlap

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