New Release: Mood Ellington from Paul Marinaro

 

Mood Ellington from Paul Marinaro
Label:  Origin Records
Release Date:  November 21, 2025 
Website:  http://paulmarinaro.com

Endowed with a clarion vocalese reflective of Michael Feinstein and a daydreamy sonorous liken to Johnny Mathis, singer and vocal stylist Paul Marinaro presents his fifth album Mood Ellington.  Compacted into a setlist of 25 songs written by Duke Ellington in addition to Billy Strayhorn, Marinaro packs vintage swing with a modern perspective for a tribute that revamps a period of nostalgic jazz.  Performing with Marinaro is a 12-piece violin section along with Tom Vaitsas on piano, Mike Allemana on guitar, John Tate on bass, Neil Hemphill on drums, Rich Moore on alto sax, clarinet and flute, John Wojciechowski on tenor and soprano saxophones and flute, Ted Hogarth on baritone sax and bass clarinet, Eric Jacobson on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Raphael Crawford on trombone.  Marinaro shapes vocal nuances and swagger with his individual signature, imprinting the stories with refreshing melodies. He divides his collection into 3 sets, each representing a different theme.  The first 9 tracks celebrate love and beauty, followed by 8 songs with an introspective tone, coasting into 5 numbers wielding a fun, frolicking, swinging momentum, and closing with the final 3 tunes resonating a solemn vibe.

In the first set, listeners are treated to familiar swinging tunage like in "Just Squeeze Me," garland by Marinaro's distinctive cavalier touch, switching to a debonair swagger through "It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream."  The next 8 songs have an introspective tone contoured by a bluesy voicing as his vocals turn lulling and caressing like in "Mood Indigo" then gently drifting across "Azure," scrolling a dreamy glide floating gracefully above the melodic passages.  The orchestral glow of "All To Soon" has a refined quality that brushes gently across the listener's senses, moving into the playful swinging rhythm of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," followed with Marinaro's impassioned vocal doodles along "Take Love Easy."  Marinaro's interpretation of classic jazz tunes pins his distinctive vocal phrasing and stylizing to a nostalgic period, making these songs relevant to a modern age.  Based in Chicago, Marinaro's mentors have included a class of jazz crooners that affected the world for generations to come.  Now, he too, is a member of this class of jazz crooners, making a concrete impression on listeners en masse.

Social Media Links:
Facebook.com/paulmarinaromusic
Youtube.com/paulmarinaro
@paulmarinaro (Twitter/IG)