Listening to the Sheila Landis’ latest recording with guitarist Rick Matle, I’m reminded of Simon Rodia, the architectural genius who spent three decades creating the fabled Watts Towers in Los Angeles. For it is that same entrepreneurial energy and ingenuity—the ability to build marvelous musical sculptures using whatever materials are at hand—that seems to drive the incredibly prolific (20 plus self-produced discs since 1981), Detroit-based singer-percussionist Sheila Landis.
Exhibiting the same assured yet easygoing professionalism as fellow Midwesterner Ann Hampton Callaway, she can swing through Goodman (“Don’t Be That Way”) and Ellington (“Caravan”), wander wordlessly through a gently scatted “Fool on the Hill” and unearth the sexual heat hidden within Hank Williams’ “Hey, Good Lookin’.” But Landis impresses most when, never straying too far from her Michigan roots, she serves up such delights (co-penned with Matle) as “Brotherhood of the Wheel” (a nod to truckers constructed to sound like an 18-wheeler snaking its way through local burgs), “Ma’s Coffee Pot” (about a roadside waitress who’s eager to vend more than just eggs and toast) and the deeply personal “She’s in My Bones,” a sweet, warm hug of an homage to her grandmother.
-Christopher Loudon
The Sheila Landis Trio with "beat" era poetry-jazz-improv
Sarah Vaughn, Joni Mitchell, Astrud Gilberto, Flora Purim, Billie Holliday, Tuck and Patti, Steely Dan, Carmen McRae, The Beatles, Betty Carter, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock
Born and raised in Detroit, vocalist Sheila Landis knew singing was to be her career as she listened to the soundtrack of Lady Sings the Blues. The great Billie Holiday songs from that film galvanized her attention and emotions. Later, while an English major at Oakland University, she hung out at the Performing Arts Building meeting such Detroit jazz artists as Marcus Belgrave. So the stage was already set as far as music as a career was concerned when she entered the fray in 1973 with a Top 40 group called the Vineyards. In 1981, Landis formed her own record company, Shelan, and has been issuing an album on that label virtually every year since then. Much of her early work on LP is still available.
She met her musical soul mate, guitarist Rick Matle, in 1990. They have worked together ever since in a variety of combinations, duo, trio, and their six to eight member band Brazilian Love Affair. The latter is the main instrument to express Landis’ long-standing romance with Brazilian music, bossa nova, and samba, captured on such albums as Where Jazz Lives and Colors of Brazil. Landis uses the trio, which includes Matle plus percussionist, to delve into the realm of jazz poetry. Two of her albums incorporating this technique are The Bird Inside and Where Jazz Lives.
Click above for Brazilian Love Affair with "Summertime"
Landis has an extraordinarily flexible voice and an uncanny ability to use it to great advantage. She scats, sings ballads, loves Latin rhythms, and can swing. She does jazz, rock, bebop, as well as Latin with absolute equanimity. This multifaceted musical elasticity allows her to take part in any jazz scenario with ease and with excellent results. Landis has chosen to consider herself a Detroit artist, doing most of her work in and around the Motor City. In appreciation of this loyalty as well as for her talent, she has been the recipient of many area awards, including being named outstanding jazz vocalist for seven different years by Detroit Music Awards. She is a regular participant in Detroit music festivals, including the Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival, and performs regularly at a number of spots in the Detroit area. Although having been on stage for more than 30 years, Landis has never fallen into a rut. Her work continues to exude vitality, excitement, diversity, and originality. ~ Dave Nathan, All Music Guide
Metro Times review from November 2006
Sheila Landis and Rick Matle "Blues in the Night"
An emphasis on bluesy and rootsy material on this collection, half new and half culled from the last dozen years of work by the vocal-guitar duo. They do "Fever" and Willie Nelson’s "Crazy," but there’s still room for whiplash hard bop, some jazz-meets-poetry material and a rockin’ take on "At Last." Landis’ 21st album is the place to start if you’ve been sleeping on this lightning bolt of a singer and her simpatico seven-string guitarist. —WKHeron
combo experience yellow bossa (good ear) nossa alma canta i belong to you (good ear cd-r) bungalove aphrodisiaco (funky juice) nossa alma canta sign your name (good ear cd-r) donati rosa vaidosa (cool d:vision) bossasonic too much (first floor promo) nossa alma canta what i am (good ear cd-r) soulstance special one (shcema) tape five cancun (chin chin/prominence) nossa alma canta in your eyes (good ear cd-r) fascinations fascinated groove (cool d:vision) sheila landis nightwalkin’ elaiza romero sei shagliaro e non lo sai domu/pete simpson come back around (cool d:vision cd-r) oh!penelope i’m gonna miss you
part 2:
pulp something changed prefab sprout cars and girls nossa alma canta/remix desire (good ear cd-r) aaron jerome angel lady (bbe) bcahama soul club late night bossa (cd-r) club de belugas frankie (chin chin/prominence) matelno chiguagua (resense cd-r) los tres bros marble latin theme (cast-a-blast) palov & mishkin ambiente tropical (resense cd-r) TRACK OF THE MONTH marc rae medicine (jalapeno/prominene/cool d:vision cd-r) bnc like that & like this (cast-a-blast d-r) discoettes yes we can can (bbe cd-r) rabbit rumba caramelos (lovemonk) black banda rio chega mais nossa alma canta kiss (good ear cd-r) fall in parts/cayetano domino master (cd-r) robert owens/ian pooley i’m chained (compost promo)
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part 2:
asa ferston/bossa for NOON remix maraga no himawari tape five can cun (chin chin/prominence) monta & rossini from day into the night (good ear) morcheeba enjoy the ride (ultra/giant step promo) etienne daho obsession (francophonic diffusion) steve evans quartet river man (schema) sky king why don’t you take us (bbe cd-r) kyoto jazz massive off and on TRACK OF THE MONTH the 4rce never shoulda (bbe cd-r) matenlo chic (resense/prominence cd-r) original tropicana steel band calypso rock (bbe cd-r) odd couple sunshine (swedish brandy) magnetic 4 surfing (good ear)
part 3:
tarantulas saiba ser feliz torbjorn langborn en estocolmo no pasa nada savannah soul nao posso te levan a serio (tru thoughts cd-r) dr.vodkatini it’s a shame (prominence) bamboos/marc mac i don’t wanna stop (tru thoughts cd-r) toshio mastuura group/jose james a night in tunisia unclosed minds/at jazz put it down (futuristica music cd-r) robert owens/at jazz now i know (compost cd-r) slowly/ET shining bright black seeds answer (cool d :vision) eico n/a sergio mallandro mas que idea
part 4:
mamani keita yelema (francophonic diffusion) five corners quintet willie the pooh quintetto lo greco steppin’ to bop (schema promo) salvador trio tristeza nicola conte impulse (schema) paulo mouro fibra (far out/prominence) sheila landris who will buy sono rhizmo my house (resense/prominence cd-r) omar/stevie wonder feeling you junior mendez copacabana sadia johan c schutrz passion georgia bellibasaki se tono ble mediterane erykah badu honey (giant step promo) dj kawasaki you can make it ikeda masanori/ET city lights
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Congrats on the success of Parenthe-Seizure. People are talking this music up. We are super happy for you and always love it when Gilles Peterson plays our friends from Detroit. Keep swinging....
Great to see that parenthe seizure is coming back out...geez my vynyl of it is treadbare from playin it so much lol...makes me think of the baker's days (i miss baker dont you?)
