Latest news with #SheilaJordan
Express Tribune
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Jazz world mourns Sheila Jordan after legendary singer dies at 96
The jazz world is paying tribute to Sheila Jordan, the trailblazing vocalist whose intimate, improvisational style made her one of the genre's most revered figures. She died peacefully at her home in New York at the age of 96, according to family members. Jordan, born Sheila Jeanette Dawson in Detroit in 1928, carved out a unique place in jazz history by combining bebop precision with deeply personal storytelling. She began performing in her teens, inspired by Charlie Parker, and quickly earned the respect of the New York jazz scene after moving there in the early 1950s. She worked with Parker, Charles Mingus, and George Russell, among others, developing a sound that was as fearless as it was tender. Her career was not without its challenges. In a male-dominated industry, Jordan faced resistance for her refusal to conform to commercial trends. She often performed with just a bass accompaniment, creating an intimate, stripped-back sound that allowed her voice and emotional expression to take centre stage. Critics once dismissed her for being unconventional, yet over time she became celebrated for exactly that. Jordan's 1963 debut album 'Portrait of Sheila', released on Blue Note Records, is now considered a landmark recording. She continued to perform well into her nineties, captivating audiences with her ability to turn a song into an emotional conversation. Social media has been flooded with tributes from fellow musicians and fans alike. Jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater called her a 'fearless innovator who taught us all the power of vulnerability in music.' Younger artists credited Jordan with inspiring them to find their own voice without compromise. Her passing marks the end of an era in jazz, but her influence will live on through countless singers who carry her spirit of honesty, risk-taking, and deep connection with the audience.
New York Times
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Sheila Jordan, Fearless Vocal Improviser, Is Dead at 96
Sheila Jordan, who never achieved the name recognition of a Billie Holiday or Sarah Vaughan but came to be recognized as one of the great singers in jazz, died on Monday in New York City. She was 96. Her death was confirmed by her daughter, Tracey Jordan. A daredevil improviser with a lyrical voice that was extraordinarily responsive to her instinctive imagination, Ms. Jordan always seemed to be singing first for her fellow musicians. Her taste was regarded as impeccable, and she did not pander. Because of this, and also because of career-narrowing choices she made in her private life, she remained little known to the general public. Yet she never stopped singing, and those audiences that did hear her tended to adore her. Named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2012 at the age of 84, Ms. Jordan continued to expand her global fan base right up to her death. A jazz insider from her teenage years, she seemed to have known both the giants and the sidemen in that world, although she recorded with only a comparative few. Her first album under her own name, 'Portrait of Sheila,' arrived relatively late in her career, in 1963, when she was 34, but its release on the Rolls-Royce of jazz record labels, Blue Note — which had never before recorded a singer, by policy — heralded an important new voice in jazz. Reviewers were rapturous. Billboard magazine awarded the album its four-star rating for having 'sufficient commercial potential' to 'merit being stocked by most dealers.' Ms. Jordan, however, would not make another record of her own for more than a dozen years. The reasons for this were as varied as the vocal inflections that Ms. Jordan brought to her interpretations of a song. A primary contributor was an acknowledged lack of self-confidence. Of equal significance was her decision, as a single mother, to focus on raising her only child, restricting her club work. Instead, she took a secretarial job at a New York advertising agency that she held for 25 years. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
What happened to Sheila Jordan? GoFundMe launched for popular jazz singer
American jazz singer Sheila Jordan's daughter has come up with a GoFundMe fundraiser for her 96-year-old mother, stating that she is 'not doing well.' Tracey Jordan, who is organizing the fundraiser to get $120,000, stated that Sheila is no longer admitted to the Actors Fund Nursing Home, where she was getting round-the-clock care for 100 days. Sheila Jordan's daughter launches GoFundMe for jazz singer's hospice care.(X/@A_BroadSpectrum) 'She is now at home under hospice care through her Medicare coverage. Unfortunately, Medicare only provides 10 hours of Home Hospice Care Aide services per week. Per WEEK,' read the GoFundMe page. What happened to Sheila Jordan? The renowned jazz vocalist and NEA Jazz Master has been receiving hospice care at home for the past few weeks. She was born on November 18, 1928, in Detroit, Michigan. Her daughter, Tracey, has now taken over the role of primary caregiver and is managing both emotional and physical exhaustion, besides taking care of the financial strain. She stated that they have been paying for a 'private Home Care Aide to come during the day for a few hours,' while she has been nursing her mother and spending the time with her since July 7. 'The emotional toll of watching my mom's health decline is immense, and I'm physically and emotionally exhausted while being financially drained,' she stated. Due to this, Tracey has started the GoFundMe campaign to help the family cover the costs of private home care, ensuring that the legendary jazz singer gets the comfort and dignity she deserves. She stated that a few of her mother's friends had been "incredibly supportive" and had either donated funds or visited the family to spend a few nights with Sheila Jordan. While Tracey is "deeply grateful" for the donations, she noted that it was not enough to cover the entire costs. 'The healthcare system in our country is broken. Medicare limits her health-care coverage and doesn't come close to covering our expenses,' she stated. Tracey said her mother serves as the living bridge to the great musicians "who created Bebop and beyond, and she has treated her legacy with deep respect". She thinks this was their time to show her love and added that any type of support could make a "significant difference" in her life, ensuring that she gets the best care possible. FAQs: 1. How much money is Tracey Jordan seeking for mother Sheila Jordan's hospice care? The GoFundMe page has a target of $120,000, while it has already raised $106,339 so far. 2. How old is Sheila Jordan? She is 96 years old. 3. What happened to Sheila Jordan? She is currently at her home under hospice care, supported by Medicare.
CBC
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Nova Scotian lighthouse lamp found in B.C. thrift store ignites cross-country friendship
Julia Ghersini found a lighthouse lamp in a Maple Ridge, B.C., thrift store and realized it was a unique, hand-painted item by Nova Scotia's John and Sheila Jordan. When she posted about it on Facebook, her post went viral, and she ended up meeting Amanda Farnsworth-Thibodeau, a great-niece of the Jordans, who has her own version of the lighthouse.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Little lighthouse found in B.C. thrift store illuminates N.S. family connections
The search for an office lamp at a thrift store in Maple Ridge, B.C., has resulted in an outpouring of interest online and shed light on family ties thousands of kilometres away. Julia Ghersini, who works in the film industry, found the $14.99 wooden Nova Scotia lighthouse lamp at Value Village. She found it charming. When she turned it over to check the price she found an inscription that said "built & painted by John and Sheila Jordan, Brighton N.S." and a phone number in the 902 area code. "I thought, 'Oh my goodness, look at this,'" Ghersini said. Fascinated by the find, she bought it. She thought a co-worker from Nova Scotia would enjoy having something in the office to remind him of home. After some research, she learned John and Sheila Jordan had died. Sheila died in 2015 and John eight years later. Knowing that East Coast family connections run deep, Ghersini posted photos of the lamp on the "I love Nova Scotia" Facebook group. She went to bed thinking somebody might respond. "Waking up the next morning, I think at that point I was close to 1,000 likes on the first day," she said. "And then it just kind of kept growing and growing and growing. The comments that have been posted are just so heartwarming." To date, the post has just under 7,000 likes, 274 comments and over 500 shares. The post quickly reached John and Sheila's family in Nova Scotia. "I took a second and I was like, 'Does that say Uncle Johnny and Auntie Sheila?" said Ocean O'Neill, their great-niece from Bridgetown, N.S., who saw it first on her feed. O'Neill said the couple are remembered fondly by their family. She vividly remembers her childhood visits to their home near Digby. She said the couple crafted lighthouses, birdhouses and replicas of Maud Lewis's home as a retirement hobby. "Uncle Johnny's wood shop was behind the house and he was colour blind and that's why she painted everything, " O'Neill said. They would give them to family and friends and sell them as souvenirs to passing tourists. Each one was signed and numbered, she said. The post helped O'Neill discover a cousin she never knew existed. Amanda Farnsworth-Thibodeau, a great-niece from Marshalltown, N.S., said John was her godfather. She says she still cherishes a birdhouse he made for her. Farnsworth-Thibodeau likens the outpouring of memories and family connections to an East Coast kitchen party happening online. She believes one of the reasons for the popularity of the post is because "people missed that connection of the simpler things in life, getting gifts from people that are simple but really mean big things." The little Nova Scotia lighthouse now sits in Ghersini's B.C. office. She said it's nice to know that she's brightened so many people's day by posting about it on Facebook. "It's the first thing I turn on in the morning ... and the last thing I turn off at night," Ghersini said. Ghersini plans to visit Nova Scotia soon and says she thinks she has to bring the lighthouse "back to where it came from." MORE TOP STORIES
