Honored as an NEA Jazz Master in 2012, Sheila Jordan set the standard for singing with minimal accompaniment. Since 1988, she has made a number of recordings with the backing of bass alone, first utilizing Harvie S (aka
Harvie Swartz) and later
Cameron Brown. This 2012 release is a previously unissued set from 1990 with Harvie S, their fourth collaboration together to appear on disc. Although Jordan doesn't have a large voice, she has an impeccable instrument, with a potent gift for melody, rhythm, and improvising, backed by a bassist who sublimely provides an equally inventive backdrop without overshadowing her. Jordan's superb setting of "Yesterdays" takes it into new territory, adding a Native American flavor at one point. She showcases Harvie for a couple of choruses in their brilliant interpretation of "Better Than Anything." The emotional impact of her moving take of "You Don't What Love Is" is due in part to her great use of space to increase its dramatic effect, along with Harvie's arco playing in the introduction and deliberate pizzicato backing. Jordan's gift for improvising new lyrics is on display during her riotous medley of
Fats Waller songs, combining a rapid-fire "Honeysuckle Rose" and comical, deliberate "Ain't Misbehavin'," with the bassist engaging in a wild avant-gardist arco solo to connect the two pieces. "Lazy Afternoon" is yet another standard that she raises to a new level with her ability to make a well-known song her very own, again adding a Native American-like chant. There's never a dull moment in this lively set, as Sheila Jordan and Harvie S captivate their audience throughout the entire evening.
