Portrait Of Sheila, the debut recording by Sheila Jordan, remains a singular document of jazz vocal innovation, highlighting her uncanny command of phrasing and a boldly minimalist sense of accompaniment. Originally issued in 1962 by Blue Note Records, the album established Jordan’s signature mix of vulnerability and sophistication, a quality that would influence generations of vocalists and help redefine the expressive possibilities of the voice in jazz. Supported by the sympathetic interplay of Barry Galbraith on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass, and Denzil Best on drums, Jordan revisits standards such as “Falling In Love With Love,” “If You Could See Me Now,” and “Let’s Face The Music and Dance,” transforming these familiar themes through subtle harmonic risk and a conversational, deeply personal lyricism.​

Perhaps the album’s most iconic moment is her rendition of “Dat Dere,” performed as a duo with Steve Swallow, which strips the music to its essentials and draws out the underlying warmth and intelligence in both Jordan’s delivery and Swallow’s bass response. Across twelve tracks, Jordan’s approach blends reverence for tradition with a spirit of experimentation, allowing her phrasing to hover, invert, or reshape a lyric while maintaining an innate sense of swing. The results are never mannered, always direct—equal parts heart and technical precision.​

With the advent of the Blue Note Tone Poet Series and other 75th anniversary reissues, Portrait Of Sheila finds itself presented anew, remastered from the original tapes for high-fidelity vinyl and digital platforms. This latest release affirms the album’s place as an enduring touchstone, one that encapsulates the power of jazz to feel both timeless and stunningly present. For listeners old and new, Jordan’s debut is not simply a piece of history but a living testament to the art of song—where vulnerability, wit, and invention converge.