Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with acclaimed jazz vocalist Paul Marinaro. On this episode, we dive deep into his stunning 2025 album Mood Ellington, a lavish and ambitious collection of 25 Duke Ellington vocal masterpieces reimagined for the 21st century.

This remarkable project features arrangements by 13 of the world’s most celebrated jazz arrangers, including Alan Broadbent, John Clayton, Bill Cunliffe, Chuck Israels, and Chuck Owen, and is performed by Paul Marinaro’s Chicago-based quartet alongside horns and a lush string section. The result is a sweeping, elegant, and modern celebration of Ellington’s timeless artistry.

Beyond the music, we also talk about delivering jazz to fans in today’s America, the evolving relationship between artists and audiences, and what it means to honor tradition while pushing the music forward.

🎶 Mood Ellington is Duke Ellington’s songbook brought to life with wit, sophistication, and deep reverence—dig this conversation.

👉 Get the album:

https://originarts.com/recordings/recording.php?TitleID=82937

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Joe Dimino Podcaster/Artist

Joe Dimino has been writing & creating in a variety of capacities since his college days at the University of Missouri-Kansas City somewhere around 1993. If you are keeping score, that would be about 29 years+. It all began at UMKCs University News as a Sports Writer & turned into a myriad of expressive avenues. Inventing poems, art, video & audio has always been in the proverbial cards.