Libations for Sheila Jordan…
On August 11, 2025, we said goodbye to a true legend — Detroit’s beloved Jazz Master Sheila Jordan, at the age of 96. A humble soul with an extraordinary gift, Sheila was a shining light in both the Detroit and New York jazz scenes. Her voice was pure magic. She could spin scat improvisations with a grace and originality that left even the most seasoned musicians in awe.
Her love affair with jazz began as a teenager, the moment she heard Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker’s “Now Is the Time” playing on a jukebox across from her high school, Commerce High School.
From that spark came a lifelong dedication.
Sheila faced the difficult paths that so many jazz musicians walked in the ’50s and ’60s — and she overcame them. In fact, not only did she overcome, but she broke barriers and excelled, becoming the first jazz vocalist ever recorded by Blue Note Records.
Even into her 90s, she remained vibrant and inventive. Her final album, Portrait Now, and her last performance in February of 2025, in Chicago, were acts of unabated passion, affirming that music was not merely what she did, but who she was.
“I admired Sheila Jordan as one who explained her process transparently, casually mentoring hundreds of singers and musicians in the process. When she was discriminated against, Sheila would adapt creatively, sometimes singing about her experiences in her scatsinging. And her mentorship did not stop there – she became a stellar educator.
She made music accessible for so many singers because of her example. She was great-souled, unassuming, and she had an open heart, which she would share with you. She lived out loud.”
-Michelle McKinney, DSC Director of Collections