Rich Moore

Paul Marinaro: Mood Ellington

by Pierre Giroux
February 8, 2026

Paul Marinaro's Mood Ellington is an ambitious, carefully crafted double CD that regards Duke Ellington's vocal repertoire not as a fixed monument but as a living collection of work capable of endless renewal. Instead of relying on a single arranging perspective, Marinaro commissioned thirteen renowned composers, allowing Ellington's songs to be explored through multiple aesthetic lenses while remaining anchored in a consistent emotional core. Like his concept for the album's arrangers, Marinaro sought supporting musicians who would express their own ...