Paul Marinaro’s Mood Ellington: A Triumphant Chicago Tribute to Duke & Strayhorn - Review by Jeff Cebulski

Paul Marinaro, Mood Ellington. (Origin Records, 2025)

By Jeff Cebulski

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Paul Marinaro, vocals

Nine-piece jazz ensemble

12-piece violin ensemble

On January 24 and 25, Studio5 will host Chicago’s finest relatively unacknowledged baritone Paul Marinaro performing music from his recently-released double album, Mood Ellington (Origin Records). Marinaro’s generally weak national recognition is a shame. While he tends to organize ambitious recording projects (such as 2023’s The Bowie Project), Marinaro is always up to the task, and Mood Ellington is not some overblown excursion; there’s not a weak song among the 25 deliveries of Duke and Strayhorn’s material, highlighted by outstanding arrangements from national and local musicians, including John Clayton, Alan Broadbent, Chuck Isreals, Jim Gailloreto, Mike Allemana, and Ryan Cohen, among the 13 contributors.

The album is separated into three “sets.” Set One has a beaucoup of big band fare; Set Two concentrates on ballads; Set Three gathers tunes, some very famous, with outside lyricists. Each has a strong selection of Ellington faves, with arrangements that incorporate mixtures of combos, orchestras, and string sections. The production, handled by Marinaro and Gailloreto, is pristine and dynamic. As for the singer himself, Marinaro typically throws himself into each song, with sincere and delightful expression throughout. This reviewer hears significant influence by people like Nat “King” Cole in Marinaro’s phrasing (in particular “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing,” “Sophisticated Lady,” and “It Shouldn’t Happen to a Dream” in Set One, “I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)” “Lush Life” in Set Two, and “I Didn’t Know About You” in Set Three).

Sophisticated arrangements occasionally surprise: Ryan Cohan’s “Just Squeeze Me” becomes a multi-rhythmic treat; Mike Downes’ “In a Mellow Tone” swings like crazy; Gailloreto’s “Mood Indigo” is an even more stripped-down theme featuring Allemana’s delicate guitar work; the guitarist is front-and-center on Cohan’s swinging combo version of “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” anointed by a horn augmentation—should be a grand live presentation; Tom Matta’s “Day Dream” is given a sexy 30’s vibe featuring Rich Moore’s clarinet; Gailloreto’s “Caravan” has the proper exotic vibe enhanced by an enticing percussive thread within the modern ensemble mix.

Some of Chicago’s best adorn the band—Allemana, Tom Vaitsas on piano, John Tate on bass; Neil Hemphill on drums, John Wojciechowski on tenor sax and flute, Moore on alto sax, clarinet, and flute, Ted Hogarth on baritone sax and bass clarinet, Eric Jacobson on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Raphael Crawford on trombone. Many of them have stellar solo moments; as a group they stir and excite.

If you’re an Ellington/Strayhorn fan, or even if you’d like to get to know their music more intimately, the Studio5 concerts will be a delightful time, no doubt. Mood Ellington will be the first release of 2025-26 to be listed as a top album, another grand achievement by Paul Marinaro, our wonderful local crooner.

For more info, go to originarts.com.