Mood Ellington

My first reaction to this excellent double disc from Chicago-based vocalist Paul Marinaro was simply the pure joy of having 25 of Duke Ellington and/or Billy Strayhorn's tunes in one collection. Yet, delving into the album more deeply, it was the inventive arrangements and Marinaro's confident, unhurried phrasing and natural affinity for the material that was most impressive. This massive project ranks easily as one of the top male vocal albums of the year due to Marinaro's warm baritone vocals and his deep emotive feel for re-imagining the material. Besides, he took a very creative approach to the project. Marinaro grouped the 25 songs by feel - love songs, darker ballads, and more relatable, rather universal tunes. He then brought in thirteen accomplished and respected arrangers (see below), all with unique writing styles. The result is surprisingly cohesive.

The first set (love songs) begins with "I'm Beginning to See the Light," (arr. Kornegay) the blaring horns welcoming in Marinaro's well-articulated vocal, growing more animated and flexible with his phrasing as the tune evolves, stretching out the word 'light' and capping the tune with a vibrato flair. He then sharply turns soft with Strayhorn's "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing" (arr. Broadbent) While he was somewhat playful on the former, Marinaro exudes a fitting elegance here, backed by superb piano from Tom Vaitsas, a stalwart member of Marinaro's backing quartet, as well the trombone solo from Raphael Crawford, making it a standout track. John Clayton's arrangement of "I'm a Lucky So and So" has Marinaro bringing an unforced swagger to the tune which his long been a staple of his live shows. Arranger Carey Deadman is a trumpeter by trade, so naturally he brings sharp horn charts to "Love You Madly," to which Marinaro aptly brings a bright take along with baritone saxophonist Ted Hogarth on the solo. Arranger Chuck Israels, known for his work with Bill Evans, brings his classy touch to "Sophisticated Lady" while the tune becomes a great vehicle for Marinaro's acute phrasing, also on prime display in the Mike Downes arranged "I Like the Sunrise" and "In a Mellow Tone." Marinaro takes a playful approach (what else?) to arranger Ryan Cohan's "Just Squeeze Me" while Deadman applies an orchestral backdrop for Marinaro's heartfelt take on "It Shouldn't Happen to a Dream."

The second set, also on Disc One, begins with Jim Gailloreto's big band arrangement of "Mood Indigo," with Marinaro finding a tender touch amidst the brassy accompaniment, underscored by the low end. The vocalist gets deeply moody in the Clayton arranged "Azure,' at times practically whispering the lyrics and modulating downward three times. The strings come to the fore in the more obscure Cohan arranged "Don't You Know I Care (Or Don't You Care to Know)," Marinaro wringing out every drop of emotion in the pleading lyrics, imbued by John Wojciechowski's tenor. The vocalist then delivers another standout track, reflecting the haunting blues of Bill Cunliffe's arranged "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good." Many arrangements take an up-tempo but this down or mid-tempo arrangement brings out the best in Marinaro's relaxed, unhurried approach. Arranger Chuck Owen, a big band leader by trade, brings that level of orchestration to "(In My) Solitude," like Cunliffe, slowing the tempo to accent the melancholy lyrics, handled superbly by Marinaro, featuring a trumpet solo by Eric Jacobson. The Tom Garling arranged "All Too Soon," a less recognizable tune from Duke's catalog, receives a similar treatment, remarkable in that three different arrangers find a common ground in their arrangements. This occurs in other places on the album, contributing to its cohesiveness. Broadbent brings similar dark colors to Strayhorn's "(I Want) Something to Live For" while Tom Matta's inventive arrangement of Strayhorn's "Lush Life" highlights the vocalist's gift for phrasing.

The third set, the eight that comprise Disc Two, is a mixed bag featuring some of Ellington's most beloved tunes, beginning with Cohan's bluesy and tempered "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," a tune with lyrical darkness of those in Set Two. Guitarist Allemana shines and Hemphill adds the accents on his kit. Matta's arranged "Take Love Easy" is at a relaxed vibe, the guitar serving up a warm undercurrent to the brassy swells. Marinaro is again unhurried, singing with strong belief in the song's message, choosing certain moments for emphasis, while letting the woodwinds carry the break. In the only instance where we hear the same arranger back to back, Marinaro finds his crooning style on "Day Dream," imbued instrumentally by flutes and woodwinds. The vocalist takes some liberties on guitarist Allemana's snappy arrangement of "Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues<' another showcasing his backing quartet, who join him, singing ebulliently on the chorus. The full ensemble motors through "Caravan (arr. Gailloreto)," slows it down for the Allemana arranged, sophisticated "I Didn't Know About You," featuring the arranger's tastefully bluesy guitar. A somber Kornegay arranged "In a Sentimental Mood" follows with arranger Garling contributing the punch, horn-slathered "Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me."

The entire album feels so seamless. Nothing is forced or overly emulative. Marinaro focuses on articulation and phrasing, resisting any showboating. There's beauty in the restraint and, as stated, remarkable cohesiveness considering the breadth of the material and the thirteen different arrangers. It's arguably the best Ellington tribute recorded.