“THE CROSSING.” Sheila Jordan. Blackhawk BKH 50501....

“THE CROSSING.” Sheila Jordan. Blackhawk BKH 50501. Tom Harrell appears again here, as a member of Jordan’s strong supporting cast. The others are her regular bassist Harvie Swartz, the admirable Kenny Barron on piano and Ben Riley on drums. Jordan sounds best as a ballad singer: “It Never Entered My Mind” and “You Must Believe in Spring” stand out, while the vocalese and scat effects on “All God’s Children Got Rhythm” (also known as “Little Willie Leaps”) sound like tired cliches. “Sheila’s Blues,” on which she shouts rather than sings her autobiography, is an unbecoming, pseudo-hip adventure. 3 stars.