Mood Ellington

The two-album release by vocalist Paul Marinaro, Mood Ellington, offers a luscious journey through the legendary songbook of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Marinaro's warm, resonant voice glides along rich musical landscapes crafted by thirteen top-tier arrangers, including Alan Broadbent, John Clayton and Bill Cunliffe, spanning intimate quartet settings to expansive string-and-horn orchestras. Supported by his Chicago rhythm core of pianist Tom Vaitsas, guitarist Mike Allemana, bassist John Tate and drummer Neil Hemphill, and a shining horn section of Eric Jacobson on trumpet/flugelhorn, Raphael Crawford on trombone, Rich Moore on alto sax and clarinet/flute, John Wojciechowski on tenor/soprano sax and flute and Ted Hogarth on baritone sax and bass clarinet, the performances are sterling precision, allowing Marinaro's adrioit phrasing to shine amidst lush textures and moods. The track list comprises 25 selections drawn from Ellington/Strayhorn's vocal repertory with a reverence for melody and lyric that keeps the emotional center intact. It's a work that demonstrates how a skilled artisan pays tribute while making a truly stellar musical statement.