Sheila Jordan has been singing Jazz since the early fifties, and teaching since ‘75, and the lady knows about both. As promised, nobody got broken at her workshop at the Art of Jazz Studio in the Distillery District last Sunday February 15; bruised perhaps, but to good purpose.

The format of the workshop alternated between Jordan’s advice to singers in general, and critiques of performances by singer-participants. “If you have bad time, you better get some lessons from a drummer,” she declared right off the top. “Time is of the essence.” Similarly no-nonsense statements followed. On accompanists: “Don’t sing in a key you don’t like for fear of offending the instrumentalists;” On other singers: “Don’t feel obligated to give out copies of the arrangement that you worked so hard on.” On being an artist: “Don’t be ashamed to work another job to support the music.” On critiquing each other: “We love each other; we have to work together.” In a room where the levels ranged from enthused amateur to professional, with varying degrees of timidity and boldness mixed throughout, Sheila Jordan managed to meet each person on their level, and take them one step forward.