Paul Marinaro: Not Quite Yet

Singer Paul Marinaro issued his acclaimed debut album Without A Song (122 Myrtle Records) in 2013. Seven years after the release of his follow-up, "One Night In Chicago" (122 Myrtle Records), and with almost a decade of performing from coast to coast at top-end clubs, including New York's Birdland, he has released Not Quite Yet, which is devoted to exploring timeless themes, such as life, love and the search for lasting connections. Accompanying Marinaro are longtime band members guitarist Mike Allemana, pianist Tom Vaitsas and bassist John Tate with the addition of drummer George Fludas. A horn section is added on some tracks, and on other non-overlapping tracks the Kaia String Quartet brings a different soundscape to the recording.

The 14 numbers on the playlist are sourced from a variety of old/new/borrowed/blue compositions on which Marinaro offers a fresh interpretation beginning with "Born To Be Blue." With a funky 6/8 beat, Marinaro swings out the Mel Torme standard in a buoyant fashion. Gene Lees' English lyrics to the Antonio Carlos Jobim bossa nova "Someone To Light Up My Life" are brought to life by Marinaro through his sensitive and thoughtful reading of the poetic structure. As Marinaro delves into his material, it is evident that he has the talent to sing and swing with control, all the while looking to reshape the lyrics into a distinctive interpretation. Even with a couple of unusual choices, such as David Bowie's "5:15 The Angels Have Gone" and "No Plan," Marinaro's voice and phrasing elevate the material from the mundane.

The gold standard for male vocalists (or any vocalist for that matter) is Frank Sinatra. Paul Marinaro is not one to be intimidated and so he picks three compositions from the Sinatra songbook to wrap his vocal cords around: "No One Ever Tells You," "Taking A Chance On Love" and "That's All." Although the compositions are ostensibly about love, each has a different structure, tempo and attitude, and Marinaro covers them with style, feeling and depth. Stephen Sondheim was an erudite and poetic composer as evidenced by "I Believe" from the TV film "Evening Primrose." Supported only by Allemana's acoustic guitar, Marinaro delivers an ethereal version of the piece, searching out the melancholy quality of its melody and harmonies.

As described by Marinaro in the accompanying notes, "this is an honest and personal collection of songs ... that are characteristic of me at this stage."