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Portraits Jazz Project

Included in Karl Ackermann's Best Releases of 2019.

Portraits featuring Adalia Tara was born in a coffeehouse in Sedona, Arizona, on a sultry summer evening in 2016. An impromptu coming together of local Sedona jazz talent behind the powerful vocals of Adalia Tara attracted a following that overwhelmed the capacity of the small venue by the second show. Performing thereafter at larger venues, resorts, and vineyards, the band was also featured in the the L’Auberge Summer Concert Series. Portraits has consistently filled rooms to over capacity. This album captures the spark and energy born of those early shows.

Adalia is an extraordinary singer-songwriter talent, who began writing songs at an early age. Adalia's vocal style is distinct and versatile, from resonating, deep, bluesy lows to sweet, ethereal highs, and her voice truly commands the space. In 2017, Adalia released an album of contemporary original music titled Why Wait Her music video, “Release Me”, premiered at the Sedona International Film Festival, and won numerous film festival awards at multiple festivals. Additionally Adalia performed live at a special event for the Sedona Film Festival, the airing of the Amy Winehouse documentary Amy, and her vocal talent has been showcased at the Sedona Performing Arts Center. Recently, a featured performer at TedX in Sedona, Arizona, her original music video “Mother of Exiles”, also premiered at the event.

David Vincent Mills is a virtuoso pianist who has performed at festivals and venues across the globe, including the Montreux and Playboy jazz festivals. David has also made appearances on national television, including the Ellen DeGeneres show. Also a composer and recording artist, David's album Underneath is an eclectic offering highlighting his progressive jazzy funk instrumentals.

Drummer Mark Rownd, also a composer, songwriter, and recording artist, plays with a melodic approach to drum set. Mark has released several albums of his own original instrumental music, which continue to receive international airplay. His music has been featured on special programming on NPR, Echoes, and Hearts of Space, as well as internationally in television and film. Early collaborations in his career included co-writing the latin jazz instrumental “En La Calle” with Germaine Franco, and his first album of original pop songs with co-writer Steve Channell titled Lost in America, which featured Kirk Whalum on saxophone.

The band’s repertoire includes a host of soulful classics featuring Adalia's powerful vocals on timeless standards such as “At Last” by Etta James, or Nina Simone's “Feeling Good”, to contemporary original songs of her own such as Just Be.

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“Powerful singing by Adalia Tara” — SCOTT YANOW, JAZZ HISTORIAN, AUTHOR OF THE JAZZ SINGERS

All About Jazz, Karl Ackermann …”[Adalia Tara] is very impressive. Her powerful and pliable voice does not necessarily conjure up familiar singers of the past or present but is a unique instrument. Her gift for subtle improvisation makes over-recorded pieces like "Autumn Leaves," "At Last," and "Summertime" sound fresh and personal. Tara's reading of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" is the strongest since that of Jeff Buckley.”

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