Talkin' Broadway Sound Advice Recap Week of 2/20/24

Receive the weekly recap by email each Tuesday: Sign up on the front page, right below the menu (at the bottom of the page on mobile screens).

See the complete list of Upcoming/Recent releases.

Last week's recap

Digital Music Now Available:

The Gospel According to Heather
(JAY Records - new digital album)
2023 Off-Broadway cast recording of score by Paul Gordon. Cast includes Lauren Elder, Badia Farha, Maria Habeeb, Jeremy Kushnier, Maya Lagerstam, Zach Rand, Katey Sagal, Carson Stewart, Brittany Nicole Williams, and Wayne Wilson. "My Name Is Heather Krebs," "The Weight of My Burden," "Wait," "Risen," "Conventional," "Don't Go Spreading Rumours," "The Healing," "Reckoning," "St Heather," "Just a Girl Breaking News," "She Has on Sneakers," "Up All Night," "Spread a Little Light," "Don't Tell Mom," "My Name is Heather Kreb (Reprise)," "Penny In My Pocket," "Raise Your Hand," "Raise Your Hand (reprise)." Produced by John Yap. Released 2/16/24.

Music to Be Released This Friday, February 23:

Natalie Douglas: Back to the Garden
(Club44 - new on CD/digital)
"Begin the Beguine," "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face," "Woodstock," "Let It Be Me," "Who," "Trust In Me," "Love Is the Power That Heals Me," "Work Song," "You'll Never Know," "He Lives in a World of His Own," "True Colors."

Whisper Darkly
(TBI Music Group - new album )
Concept album for "immersive electro-swing musical" score by Andrew Gerle (the book is by DJ Salisbury). Cast includes Kayla Davion, Claybourne Elder, Keri René Fuller, Alli Mauzey, Aléna Watters. "We Make the Night," "The Top Dog Strut," "Who's Evie Now?," "Run in the Rain," "Love in the Shadows," "Too Much Fun Fun," "Jazz Age Johnny," "Paris Says Yes," "The Go Easy Tango," "Black Widow's Kiss," "Things I Didn't Know / Keep Your Secrets," "The Spouse of Ill Repute," "Fallen Angels," "This Is Not My Song," "We Make the Night Finale." Accompanied by jazz band: Sara Caswell (violin), Josh Roberts (drums), Alphonso Horne (trumpet), and Roberto Gervasi (accordion). Preview dance mix "Too Much Fun" to be available January 17. Produced by Andrew Gerle and PiSk (Roberto Costa). 15 tracks.

Newly Listed Recordings:

March 22:

Edith Piaf, Je Vous Aime
(Stage Door Records - new on CD)
Part of Stage Door Records' Cast Album Masters Series. Musical revue devised by Canadian performer Libby Morris, based around the songs of Piaf, specially adapted into English by American lyricist and poet Fran Landesman (with additional lyrics by Peter Reeves and Ronnie Bridges). Opened at London's King's Head Theatre in February 1977. Starring, with Morris, Maureen Scott, Peter Reeves, and Clifton Todd. 37 songs were recorded in April 1977 and produced by Norman Newell. Released as a 2LP set. Limited release of 500 copies.

Release date TBA:

The Connector
(Concord Theatricals - new album)
World premiere Off-Broadway cast recording of score by Jason Robert Brown (book by Jonathan Marc Sherman). Scott Bakula, Max Crumm, Hannah Cruz, Ashley Pérez Flanagan, Danielle Lee Greaves, Mylinda Hull, Daniel Jenkins, Jessica Molaskey, Fergie Philippe, Eliseo Román, Ben Levi Ross, Ann Sanders, and Michael Winther. Spring 2024 release expected. Recorded week of 2/14/24 at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music. Produced by Jeffrey Lesser and Brown, who also serves as arranger, orchestrator, and pianist. Tom Murray is the music director and Kristy Norter is the music coordinator. The band includes Brown, Jamie Eblen, Hidayat Honari, Adam Kaufman, Randy Landau, and Todd Reynolds.

Newly Listed Books:

September 17:

The Third Gilmore Girl
(Gallery Books - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
Memoir by Kelly Bishop, spanning her six decades in show business from Broadway to Hollywood with A Chorus Line, Dirty Dancing, Gilmore Girls, and much more. Also includes a special collection of personal and professional photographs. 288 pages.

November 26:

Ira Gershwin: A Life in Words
(Liveright - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Michael Owen. First full-length biography devoted to the life of Ira Gershwin. Draws on extensive archival sources and often using Ira's own words. 30 illustrations. 400 pages.