Jazz Child is a typical Sheila Jordan album, meaning it is brimming with warmth, wisdom, and wit. Accompanied by longtime collaborator pianist Steve Kuhn and his trio with bassist David Finck and drummer Billy Drummond, Jordan celebrates bebop and caresses ballads with customary consummate artistry. What sets Jazz Child apart from her other recordings are the three tracks featuring Theo Bleckmann. A vocalist with solid new-music credentials, Bleckmann shares Jordan’s approach to projection and phrasing. He provides pliant scat counterpoint for Jordan on “Reel Time” and “Oh Henry,” and blends well with Jordan on the ballad medley of “Everytime We Say Goodbye” and “For All We Know.” Hopefully, Jazz Child facilitates an ongoing collaboration between Jordan and Bleckmann on disc and in concert.
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