Portrait of Sheila


Portrait of Sheila is the 1963 debut album of American jazz singer Sheila Jordan, released by Blue Note Records. In the 1963 Down Beat magazine Critics Poll, she was ranked first in the vocal category for "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition". She did not record again as a leader for more than a dozen years.

Background

According to the sleeve notes, Alfred Lion of Blue Note decided to record Jordan after hearing her sing at the Page Three Club in Greenwich Village, New York, even though the label "had as a policy not recorded jazz vocalists before".

Music

Track 4, "Dat Dere", showcases Jordan's predilection for performing voice and bass duets. According to biographer Ellen Johnson, Jordan originally wanted to devote Portrait of Sheila entirely to bass and voice, but the idea was turned down by Blue Note.

Reception

The Penguin Guide to Jazz selected the album as part of its "Core Collection" and gave it a rating of four stars. Allmusic gave the album a rating of five stars.

Track listing

  1. "Falling in Love with Love" – 2:31
  2. "If You Could See Me Now" – 4:32
  3. "Am I Blue" – 4:12
  4. "Dat Dere" – 2:43
  5. "When the World Was Young" – 4:43
  6. "Let's Face the Music and Dance" – 1:14
  7. "Laugh, Clown, Laugh" – 3:11
  8. "Who Can I Turn To?" – 3:21
  9. "Baltimore Oriole" – 2:34
  10. "I'm a Fool to Want You" – 4:55
  11. "Hum Drum Blues" – 2:15
  12. "Willow Weep for Me" – 3:28

    Personnel

"Dat Dere" features Jordan and Swallow alone.