Andrea Burns (of A DEEPER SHADE OF RED) is still sizzling In the Heights; meanwhile, she’s soloing at Feinstein’s on May 4th. Philip Chaffin goes solo at the Metropolitan Room for three performances on May 6, 13 and 20, in a new show based on his WHEN THE WIND BLOWS SOUTH. GrooveLily is at Birdland on May 18th launching SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES in Concert. And the last two weeks of the month find Maureen McGovern taking A LONG AND WINDING ROAD: The Concert to Pizza on the Park in London.

And WERE THE WORLD MINE, while continuing to roll out to new cities, is now available “On Demand” on most cable companies (Comcast, Cox. TWC, DirecTV, Cablevision, Verizon and more).

The title of this column is, of course, from Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot. The Lerner and Loewe in our catalogue seems to be limited to My Fair Lady, but if you’re looking for a Lerner and Loewe high, don't miss John Miller’s winning reinvention of “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?”, from STAGE DOOR JOHNNY, Christine Andreas’s exultant “I Could Have Danced All Night, from HERE’S TO THE LADIES..., and Steve Pasquale’s swinging, starry-eyed “On the Street Where You Live,” from SOMETHIN’ LIKE LOVE.

Plus one title we haven’t announced yet, Georgia Stitt and Marcy Heisler's ALPHABET CITY CYCLE, an iTunes exclusive.  This five-song cycle for soprano, piano and violin, an exhilarating hybrid of music theatre and art song, is performed by the luminous Kate Baldwin, who just last weekend was earning raves for her star turn in Finian's Rainbow at Encores!  You can grab the whole cycle at iTunes for just $3.99, which includes not only five bewitching tracks, but a digital booklet with essay and lyrics. ALPHABET CITY CYCLE is an iTunes exclusive; SOMETHIN' LIKE LOVE and SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES can be purchased as CD's from our website, or via digital download at iTunes, complete with digital booklet.

In the meantime, DEAR EDWINA has been extended at the DR2 Theatre through April, and two weeks ago, Steven Suskin at Playbill.com raved, “The DEAR EDWINA CD gives New Yorkers not one but two options, just now, for discovering Goldrich and Heisler's clever and witty little entertainment.” He further mused, “The songwriters seemed to have simply called over a bunch of pals and set them up in the backyard with a mike stand, a pitcher of frozen pink lemonade, and a couple of platters of double-stuff Oreos. With friends like Kerry Butler, Danny Burstein, Andrea Burns, Rebecca Luker, Terrence Mann, Kate Shindle, Sean Martin Hingston, Telly Leung, Lynette Perry and Jeff Blumenkrantz, this makes quite a lawn party. All of them seem to be having a midsummer day's blast.” And THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES continues to hum along at the Westside Theatre, and at Talkin’ Broadway, Rob Lester called our CD, “Just plain fun, with merry musical nostalgia and spunk with a big wink.”

Meanwhile, the same Mr. Suskin and the same Mr. Lester named Philip Chaffin’s WHEN THE WIND BLOWS SOUTH one of the top vocal albums of the year. (At Potomac Stages, Brad Hathaway went one step further and gave it “the top slot for a vocalist’s solo album this year.”) Mr. Lester also singled out Maureen McGovern’s A LONG AND WINDING ROAD, while both gentlemen declared ADDING MACHINE one of the year’s best cast recordings. (Mr. Suskin also named A CATERED AFFAIR, while Mr. Lester gave high marks to TAKE FLIGHT.) The aforementioned Mr. Hathaway named our own HOWARD SINGS ASHMAN the best recording of 2008.

And finally, at Bloomberg News, Alan Rich had high praise for THE GRAPES OF WRATH: "[Ricky Ian] Gordon sets John Steinbeck’s epic Dust Bowl tragedy with music human and intense, to Michael Korie’s libretto swirling with the novel’s dark clouds. Deanne Meek’s Ma Joad and Brian Leerhuber as her son Tom spark the superb ensemble performance by the Minnesota Opera." He declared it one of the 10-best classical recordings of 2008.

So if you've been putting off purchasing solo albums by Victoria Clark, Maureen McGovern, Kerry Butler, Jessica Molaskey, Jason Danieley or Andrea Burns; or cast recordings ranging from TAKE FLIGHT to ADDING MACHINE to I LOVE YOU BECAUSE -- or if you still haven't bought some of our older, highly-acclaimed items like THE MAURY YESTON SONGBOOK or WINDFLOWERS: THE SONGS OF JEROME MOROSS or Christine Andreas' HERE TO THE LADIES -- now’s your chance, for a song!

Jackie Hoffman's unique blend of cynicism, stand-up and original song (featuring song titles like “The Kvetching Continues,” “You Are Jewish,” and “No Child Is Born”) has been hailed as “explosively funny and endearingly bitter” by The New York Times, while Time Out New York simply tagged her “the funniest woman in America.” Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 26th, at 6 PM, Jackie will be offering a 30-minute performance at the Barnes & Noble at 66th & Broadway in Manhattan. She then returns to Joe’s Pub – where her solo shows have become “a beloved ritual for fans” (New York Times) – for six performances: December 8th and 22nd at 9:30 PM, and December 15th and January 5th at 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM, in (as she puts it) “an evening of song that’s just plain wrong.”

STAGE DOOR JOHNNY slyly reinvents a dozen Broadway standards, finding a James Taylor charm in "Wouldn't It Be Loverly?" and a smooth Latin beat in "Real Live Girl" (on which he channels Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto). "Secret Love," the sole track from a film score, sizzles with a jazz and funk-inspired arrange-ment, while "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" - accompanied by a lush string orchestra - is enhanced by crystalline country harmony. John has taken his fluency in every musical vernacular, and 30+ years waiting in the Broadway wings, and forged something special. Look for a September 30th release!

Our new three-CD set of THE GRAPES OF WRATH, recorded live during the opera's world premiere performances, was produced by Grammy Award-winner Steven Epstein. The recording – complete with 96-page booklet that includes essay, synopsis, bios, full libretto and production photographs – will go on sale here at PS Classics, in stores and at online retailers on August 26, and will be available for digital download on November 4.

Also on August 26, excerpts from the opera will be presented by Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark, Elizabeth Futral, Jesse Blumberg, Kelly Markgraf, Stephen Powell, Robert Orth and Mary Phillips, in a performance and signing at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble beginning at 5:30 PM. Korie and Gordon will host the event, which will feature Timothy Long and Gordon on piano.

The Songwriter Series albums – drawn primarily from private “demo” recordings – have included such songwriters as Hugh Martin, Charles Strouse and Jonathan Larson performing their own work. The series is produced in conjunction with the Library of Congress, under the supervision of producer Steve Nelson; Howard Sings Ashman is being prepared with the assistance and cooperation of Ashman's sister, Sarah Ashman Gillespie, and his life-partner, Bill Lauch. Expect selections from Ashman’s most famous scores (Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin), his lesser-known shows (including God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater and Smile), as well as several unknown songs from unproduced works.

First, acclaimed poet and author Nikki Giovanni will fly up from her home in Virginia to join vocalist Capathia Jenkins and songwriter Louis Rosen for two appearances celebrating the release of their acclaimed new CD, ONE OUNCE OF TRUTH: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI SONGS. On Tuesday, July 8th, at 7 PM, the trio will make a special appearance at the Community Bookstore in Brooklyn, located at 143 7th Avenue, between Carroll & Garfield in Park Slope. Call (718) 783-3075 for more information. Then, on Wednesday, July 9th at 6 PM, they will come to Barnes & Noble Lincoln Center at 1972 Broadway at 66th Street. Both events will feature a reading by Giovanni, plus a performance by Jenkins and Rosen of selections from the new disc, followed by a signing.

Then, on Thursday, July 17th, at 5:30 PM, the full cast and band from ADDING MACHINE will perform 30 minutes from the show at the same Barnes & Noble (Lincoln Square Triangle, Broadway & 66th Street), followed by a CD signing, in a special program hosted by Austin Pendleton. As Mrs. Zero would say, “Don’t miss it!”

Together, they weave a spell, pure and simple. ONE OUNCE OF TRUTH combines Capathia’s sultry voice with Louis’s inspired melodies and arrangements, in a thirteen-song cycle set to the words of Nikki Giovanni, the Grammy-nominated poet recently chosen as one of Oprah Winfrey’s “Living Legends.” If you want to experience the magic, we have soundclips up at our website, for your listening pleasure; if you want the thrill of hearing them live, they’ll be appearing at Joe’s Pub for four performances this month, beginning Monday, May 12th, at 7 PM. (The other performances are May 18, 19 and 26, all at 7 PM.) And if you like what you hear, and want to purchase a CD, ONE OUNCE OF TRUTH is on sale here at our website, and in stores beginning Tuesday.

At Broadway.com, John Simon reviewed XANADU and found "Kerry Butler utterly charming, Cheyenne Jackson both innocent and forceful,” noting, “The new CD has a wink in every measure. You will find yourself amicably winking back." Matthew Murray at Broadway Stars found the album “Invigorating – one of the few current cast recordings that's as great for parties as for solo listening!" In the Bay Area Reporter, Gregg Shapiro hailed, “Fun, funny, and frothy, XANADU is delightful!” And at Talkin’ Broadway, Rob Lester boldly predicted, “This will be the guilty pleasure of the year for show albums.”

Four other reviewers took note of TAKE FLIGHT. At Playbill.com, Steven Suskin raved that “the composer and lyricist of Baby are in fine form,” adding that the “fine and highly listenable CD reveals a strong and enjoyable score with perhaps the finest lyrics [Richard] Maltby has given us.” In the Philadelphia Daily News, Jonathan Takiff echoed Matthew Murray’s description of XANADU, calling TAKE FLIGHT “invigorating.” At Potomac Stages, Brad Hathaway praised it as “intellectually challenging, emotionally involving, musically fulfilling and lyrically delightful,” while at Edge Magazine, J. Peter Bergman proclaimed, “Take Flight’s original cast recording proves conclusively that this is an innovative, daring and oddly infectious musical.”

Meanwhile, we hadn’t intended to go on sale with Maltby & Shire’s TAKE FLIGHT until after the first, but our plant just called to say product would be here later this week, so if all goes well, we’ll have TAKE FLIGHT on sale exclusively here at PS Classics by week’s end.

And at Playbill.com, Steven Suskin devoted a column to all three “equally enjoyable CDs,” which he tagged as "something of a holiday present to listeners," labeling Victoria’s CD “46 minutes of joy,” Lauren’s performances “pure delight,” and Andréa “superb on all counts.” He was even so kind as to note, “They are running a three-fer special on their website just now, which in my book makes a wise purchase indeed.” Who are we to argue?

This Monday evening, November 5th, two of the ladies whose new CD’s street the very next day will be offering performances: at 7 PM, the dynamic Lauren Kennedy will be at Birdland (www.birdlandjazz.com) to launch her new CD, HERE AND NOW; later that evening, at 9:30 PM, the dazzling Andrea Burns will be at Joe’s Pub (www.joespub.com) to celebrate the release of her debut album, A DEEPER SHADE OF RED.

The following day, we kick off three consecutive days of performances and CD signings at the Barnes & Noble at 66th & Broadway. On Tuesday, November 6th, Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark will offer 30 minutes from her new album FIFTEEN SECONDS OF GRACE, then stick around to sign CD’s; the following day, November 7th, Andrea Burns will take the stage, and the day after that, November 8th, Lauren Kennedy will be headlining. Performances begin each day at 5:30 PM.

One week later, on November 13th, Jessica Molaskey will devote two performances at Birdland to her latest album, SITTING IN LIMBO. Show times are 8:30 PM & 11:00 PM. The New York Times called SITTING IN LIMBO “a profound pop-jazz album that connects traditional American pop with the present in a way that has never been done before,” and trust us, it's worth seeing Jessica in person if you have the chance! She’ll be backed up by a band that includes husband-guitararist John Pizzarelli.

Ten days later, and further downtown, Luba Mason brings her COLLAGE tour to New York (with The Ed Alstrom Trio) with performances at The Metropolitan Room (www.metropolitanroom.com) at 34 West 22nd St. Performances are November 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 26th, at 10:00 PM.

And finally, on the evening of November 26th, Victoria Clark will devote two full-length shows at the Kaplan Penthouse to FIFTEEN SECONDS OF GRACE. Ticketing details and show times are still being set; we’ll post more here as we know it!

Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham’s new musical I LOVE YOU BECAUSE caught on like that last year. This year, it’s THIS ORDINARY THURSDAY: The Songs of Georgia Stitt. A stream of glowing reviews have been pouring in since last April; just last Sunday, Steven Suskin gave it a rave at Playbill.com, hailing, “The songs are rich and deep and intelligent, demanding instant repeat listening. Musically, Stitt holds her own with an original voice and a sometimes surprising turn of melody; her lyrics are personal, intricate and rewarding. Among the best of the best is Carolee Carmello's ‘Life Is Not a Camera’ (which is in the same rarefied class with ‘Finishing the Hat’ and ‘My Husband Makes Movies’), Faith Prince's ‘I Get to Show You the Ocean,’ and Susan Egan's ‘This Ordinary Thursday.’ Everybody gives especially good performances, the songs glimmer and shine. THIS ORDINARY THURSDAY contains 12 songs, and leaves you wanting not only more songs but a Georgia Stitt musical as well.”

Meanwhile, the wonderful Luba Mason, whose debut album COLLAGE, was another of our albums to emerge with little fanfare, but to inspire a loyal and vocal following, is currently touring the country with “The Collage Concert,” to great acclaim. We caught up with Luba between engagements in LA and Chicago; you can read the interview, and learn more about her concert and upcoming dates, on Luba’s home page.

Of its star, Simon wrote, “Audra McDonald gives a performance as perfect histrionically as it is vocally. She rides the rollercoaster of Lizzie's budding and dashed hopes, of her shattering despair and shining transformation with the assurance of the consummate artist, with vocal coloring and emotional penetrancy to elicit our tears of compassion and ultimate joy with equally unfussy truthfulness. And she gets exemplary support from Steve Kazee's swaggering yet sensitive Starbuck, Christopher Innvar's slowly simmering File, and the incomparable John Cullum's understatedly heartwarming H.C.

All the others, directed by Lonny Price, make flawless contributions. Backed up by Jonathan Tunick's masterly orchestrations, expertly played under Paul Gemignani's unerring baton, this 110 IN THE SHADE emerges as one of those rare discs that repeated rehearings can only, inexhaustibly, enhance."

Meanwhile, speaking of Playbill.com, they were the first to break the story that we’ve begun recording the first solo album by Tony Award-winning actress and singer Victoria Clark. The first sessions were yesterday, and she was – needless to say – extraordinary. Look for a fall release, and more details as we have them.

And speaking of releases, look for our new recording of 110 IN THE SHADE to begin websales here at PS Classics on Tuesday. The Tony nominations found 110 IN THE SHADE the most honored musical revival of the season; we think our new recording – with its splendid cast and gorgeous orchestrations -- will tell you why!

“The 12-song CD spotlights Georgia Stitt's various talents, meaning not just her music and/or lyrics, but also her work as arranger or conductor on some tracks, and more often than not as pianist. There is talent and attention to detail everywhere, with lots of details to attend to - these aren't simple little ditties. Character songs that paint emotional pictures, most are lyrically and musically dense, some telling stories. The material is intrinsically powerful and dramatic and doesn't need to be oversold, but I can imagine that much here will prove popular in concerts and cabaret acts now that they are out on CD to hear.

“The charming and upbeat 'I Get to Show You the Ocean' was written for baby daughter, Molly, to describe the pleasures of being in the water. This sunny number is brought to life with bounciness and glee by Faith Prince. With the long but very satisfying title song, Susan Egan shows immense warmth and captures an appreciation for life's big and small moments. Veteran arranger Don Sebesky contributes a rich tapestry of sounds for 'Life Is Not a Camera,' and Carolee Carmello is a marvel here, turning in a masterfully moving performance of a wife whose obsession with the art of his work - he's a photographer - comes at a cost. This excellent song so well executed brings the same kind of pathos and anguish felt by characters in musicals such as Nine and Sunday in the Park with George.

"Kelli O'Hara, Sara Ramirez, Lauren Kennedy, Matthew Morrison, Andréa Burns, Jenn Colella, Will Chase, Cheyenne Jackson and Tituss Burgess ... sounds like a fair chunk of recent names on musical theater posters or the discussions on All That Chat. They're all here sounding strong with strong material."

The other two reviews in so far were more brief, but no less enthusiastic. At Midwest Records, Chris Spector raved, “Writing with the stage sensibility but the accessibility of the 70's femme singer/songwriters, Stitt and her pals offer a juicy experience for fans worried about the future of the American songbag and whether it will be in good hands or not. A solid set that offers new vistas of songwriting to last.” And at Next Magazine, David Hurst chimed in, “Georgia Stitt writes songs that are beautifully crafted gems about life, love and the normalcy of everyday things. It’s an auspicious debut.”

Speaking of debuts, one of our best-received debut albums, from 2004, was Luba Mason’s COLLAGE. In Time Out New York, James Gavin raved, "Luba Mason, the sultry ice-blond costar of The Capeman and Jekyll & Hyde, is as alluring on her new CD as she is on Broadway.  Born of Slovak parents, Mason has a tart, muscular voice with a brain behind it, and a lot of bristling Eastern European passion. She brings out the edge in both Tom Waits’s tender apology ‘Take Me Home,’ and in an unsentimental country-rock arrangement of ‘Mr. Bojangles.’ In Mason’s hands, [Ruben] Blades’s Spanish translation of ‘The Look of Love’ sounds even sexier than the original.” Luba has now decided to take COLLAGE on tour, with dates beginning in San Francisco (at The Exit Theatre, at 156 Eddy Street) on June 21-23, at 8 PM. Tickets are available at www.TicketWeb.com, or call (866) 468-3401. We’ll continue to update this site as Luba’s tour unfolds.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking to preorder now, we can direct you to CDUniverse.com and to Amazon.com.

In the meantime, Jessica Molaskey’s newest CD, SITTING IN LIMBO, hits stores on May 8th, but it’s now on sale here at PS Classics. Last Friday, in The New York Times, Stephen Holden called it “a profound pop-jazz album that connects traditional American pop with the present in a way that has never been done before.” We also think it’s a pretty extraordinary album. Jessica and her husband, John Pizzarelli, are performing during the month of May at the Café Carlyle in New York; they’ll also be celebrating the CD release with a special performance and signing at the Barnes & Noble at 66th & Broadway in Manhattan on May 23rd at 6 PM.

“Director John Doyle's revival of Stephen Sondheim's forever-timely 1970 musical not only strips the staging practically bare, it also does away with the orchestration, putting individual instruments in the hands of the actors instead. Think of it as Broadway unplugged. The blueprint worked for last year's revival of another Sondheim classic, Sweeney Todd, and for its Grammy Award-nominated cast album. Sweeney producer Tommy Krasker returns for COMPANY, with similarly spare yet intense results that question whether Sondheim material ever needs grandiose treatment to soar. Raúl Esparza is a suave, big-voiced Bobby, the single New Yorker looking for inspiration to commit in the lives of his "good and crazy" married friends. When he sinks to the piano and alternately plunks and belts out show closer "Being Alive," possibly the bitterest and sweetest cataloging of monogamy ever penned, the lean formula feels even meatier than the traditional alternative.”

Meanwhile, we’ve begun websales for both our new Broadway cast recording of COMPANY, and the new GrooveLily CD, A LITTLE MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S MUSIC, from the creators of STRIKING 12. COMPANY hits stores on February 20th; as for A LITTLE MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S MUSIC, you’ll have to wait a touch longer to buy it in stores, till April 10th, so why not just get it here?

And speaking of stores, we’re following our memorable instore performance and signing for GREY GARDENS at Barnes & Noble last month with two Barnes & Noble instores this month. On Wednesday, February 21st, at 6 PM, at the Barnes & Noble at 66th & Broadway in Manhattan, Charlotte Rae will be performing selections from her newly re-released SONGS I TAUGHT MY MOTHER, answering questions, and signing CD’s. Two days later, on Friday, the 23rd, at 5:30 PM, the cast of COMPANY will be at the same store to perform and sign.

Meanwhile, the next GrooveLily CD, A LITTLE MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S MUSIC, will go on sale exclusively at our website next Tuesday, February 6th. It’s a melodic treasure-trove – and an absolute original, drawn from songs and suites the smart-pop trio created for a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream last year. The album won’t hit stores till April, but come February 6th, you can get it here!

And finally, we’re looking to make our new cast recording of COMPANY available here on February 6th as well. Because it’s a co-production with our colleagues at Nonesuch, the manufacturing and distribution is being handled on their end, so we can’t yet say with certainty when the CD will be arriving in our offices. If it looks like there’ll be a day or two delay, we’ll be sure to post that as soon as we know. The album will hit stores nationwide on February 13th; it’s 18 tracks, and 66 minutes, and we’re extremely proud of it.

Meanwhile, the first reviews in for Charlotte Rae’s SONGS I TAUGHT MY MOTHER have been as enthusiastic as we were when Charlotte brought the project to us. Mark Lowry’s review in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram especially tickled us: “The invaluable PS Classics label, which chronicles American popular song, has reissued this 1955 album (its first time on CD) from the great cabaret singer who later became known as Mrs. Garrett on The Facts of Life. Consisting of mostly comedic songs, some of which were written specifically for her by the likes of Sheldon Harnick (‘Backer's Audition’) and Marc Blitzstein (‘Modest Maid’), Songs is a must for those who love that performance era that predates the oversinging that weighs down a lot of Broadway vocalists. Highlights such as Cole Porter's ‘When I Was a Little Cuckoo’ and Vernon Duke's ‘The Sea-Gull and the Ea-Gull’ are delightful enough to make Tootie, Natalie and even Jo grin." Just last week, Rob Lester penned this marvelous interview with Charlotte at Talkin’ Broadway; it’s worth a look.

Finally, in the spirit of holiday cheer, two years ago we had the fun of unveiling the new GrooveLily CD, STRIKING 12, in time for the holidays. We’re now readying the next GrooveLily release, and although we’ll miss the holidays by a month, we thought we’d sing its praises here. Entitled A LITTLE MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S MUSIC, it consists of original songs and suites from the unique production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in which GrooveLily co-starred last spring at Paper Mill Playhouse and the McCarter Theatre. The CD will get an early web release here at the PS Classics website in February 2007 (to coincide with a GrooveLily concert at the McCarter) and be available in stores the second week of April. Brendan Milburn of GrooveLily described the CD at one point as “some of the most lyrical, lovely, groovy, rhythmically complex and unfettered music we've ever made"; we’ve heard it, and he’s not being immodest – just accurate! It’s a unique, magical treat that we’re proud to be unveiling here at PS Classics.

Meanwhile, in yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle, Robert Hurwitt had this to say about I LOVE YOU BECAUSE: "Ryan Cunningham and Joshua Salzman's recent off-Broadway musical is a loose take on Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice,' reconfigured as a tuneful, witty love story for New Yorkers of the post-'Sex and the City' age. It's a promising debut, an NYU graduate thesis project brought to life by a remarkably upbeat, melodious cast. Salzman and Cunningham's wit percolates engagingly through an impressive variety of pop, blues and ballads, including a hilarious patter song on the actuarial tables of love, loss and dating on the rebound and a 'Sesame Street'-style charmer on friends with benefits." I LOVE YOU BECAUSE has proven one of our best-received CD's; if haven't yet picked up a copy, maybe the other glowing notices on our What's New page will convince you.

In addition, we’re proud to announce that STRIKING 12, by the smart-pop trio GrooveLily, opened off-Broadway yesterday, and in today’s New York Times, Charles Isherwood noted, “The most important ingredient for a successful musical, it has long been acknowledged, is a first-rate score, and this one is terrific. The lyrics are alive with wit and humor, and they don’t shy away from surging emotion either. The music is rhythmic pop founded on a rich vein of melody." He found the show “more artfully crafted and engaging than virtually all the standard-mold musicals coming our way these days.” If you haven’t gotten down to the Daryl Roth Theatre yet, there are less than seven weeks left till (as the song goes) “The Last Day of the Year.” And if you still haven’t picked up the CD, our biggest webseller, you can do so here.

At Q Media, Shawn Revelle implored, “Believe in the power of true love again with I LOVE YOU BECAUSE, the wonderfully romantic, new off-Broadway musical. Salzman and Cunningham’s delightful score is both beautifully melodic and lyrically original.” And at Broadway’s Biggest Hits, Chris Curcio gave it an “A,” cheering, “What a refreshing listen I LOVE YOU BECAUSE is. The cast is bright and talented, adding meaning and gusto to the wonderful songs by Joshua Salzman with lyrics by Ryan Cunningham. Look for this talented team to be a major new voice in the contemporary musical theater scene."

“A major new voice in the contemporary musical theatre scene” is what might have been (and no doubt was) said over forty-five years ago about Charles Strouse when his first show, Bye Bye Birdie, landed on Broadway. We’re delighted to announce that the next edition in our ongoing Songwriter Series (co-produced with the Library of Congress) will be CHARLES SINGS STROUSE. Drawn primarily from demo tapes and live appearances, the CD will include several signature tunes (“Put On a Happy Face,” “Once Upon a Time,” and “Tomorrow”) by the Tony Award-winning composer of Birdie, Applause and Annie, but will also include rare selections from such little-known works as Bojangles, Pound in Your Pocket, Hunky-Dory, Lady for a Day and Marty. Charlotte Rae’s SONGS I TAUGHT MY MOTHER, our songwriter tribute IF I SING, and CHARLES SINGS STROUSE will all go on sale here at PS Classics on November 14th.

STRIKING 12 embraces old-fashioned romanticism with a healthy dose of modern-day cynicism. The same could be said for our latest release, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE, which got a rave today from Matthew Murray at Broadway Stars. Calling it “a sparkling comedy, on par with the best Broadway has offered in the last couple of decades,” he cheered, “Now that PS Classics has released the show's wonderful cast recording, more people will hopefully be exposed to this delightful modern romance, which introduced to theatregoers the songwriting gifts of Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham.” Matthew likened the show (in “style, originality, and pure cunning”) to “On the Town, Guys and Dolls, and Wonderful Town, those quintessential musical comedies as much about the passionate love of New York City as about the passionate love between people.” He concluded, “It's hard to imagine I LOVE YOU BECAUSE being better than it is.”

“This 1984 musical paints with sound, re-creating Georges Seurat's painstakingly dotted canvases in pulsing, quivering melodies. It seems fitting, then, that a fresh recording should capture new colors and textures. The album emerged from a London production that moved recently to the West End. Presented on two discs, the recording is more complete than the original Broadway cast album, delivering more dialogue and longer sections of several musical scenes. What truly distinguishes the effort, though, is the depth of emotion each performer reveals in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's meditation on the frustrations, sacrifices and hard-won triumphs of artistic life.

Daniel Evans' baritone buzzes with intensity as Seurat plunges ever deeper into the world of his monumental painting ‘Sunday Afternoon on the Island of la Grande Jatte,’ while Jenna Russell's amber-hued soprano conveys the conflicted frustration and admiration of the artist's model and girlfriend. The production uses reduced orchestrations for five players, expanded to eight for the recording. Spare yet precise, these pointillist daubs of piano, strings and woodwinds fill in the aural canvas.”

(At the signing, cast members will autograph GREY GARDENS CD’s only. Those attending may bring copies of the CD they’ve already purchased, or they can buy them on site for $20 each, cash only.)

GREY GARDENS hits stores on Tuesday, August 22nd, although it’s already available here at PS Classics. The CD features 23 tracks and a 36-page booklet with complete lyrics, full-color photos and an interview with the show’s three authors. The award-winning musical, which concluded its sold-out world premiere production at Playwrights Horizons in April, will open on Broadway this fall with performances beginning October 3 at The Walter Kerr Theatre.

His colleague in the Bay Area, Chad Jones in the Oakland Tribune, called it “a must” that “brings new focus to the characters and to the genius of Sondheim's lyrics.” Heading East, Ron Wynn in the Nashville City Paper noted that “the play’s juggling of 19th and 20th century conventions is once more brilliantly executed in this version,” and concluded, “it’s a first-rate cast recording, one that’s bolstered by Evans’ vocal authority.” Further South, Hap Erstein in The Palm Beach Post echoed Mr. Jones, finding it “a must-have,” and like Mr. Wynn, singled out Mr. Evans, who “sings with authority, intensity and urgency.” Much further South, in the Weekend Australian, Deborah Jones gave it four stars, praising it as “vivid, intimate and dazzling.” And online at Broadway’s Biggest Hits, Chris Curcio hailed it as “a masterpiece. With two discs, it preserves almost the entire score and the cast is perfection ... This version is original and definitive, a wonderful addition to Sondheim's legacy.”

The cast of I Love You Because includes Farah Alvin, David A. Austin, Tony Award nominee Stephanie D’Abruzzo and Colin Hanlon, with Jordan Leeds and Courtney Balan. The orchestrations are by Larry Hochman, a good pal and one of Broadway's best. We don't often get to sing the praises of orchestrators here, but aside from his indelible contributions to such shows as Jane Eyre and Spamalot, Larry's contributions to PS Classics have been invaluable. Some of his most delectable charts include "Windflowers" for Alice Ripley on Windflowers: The Songs of Jerome Moross, "By the River" for Christine Andreas on The Maury Yeston Songbook, "You've Come Home" for Philip Chaffin on Warm Spring Night, and the "Harold Arlen Songs" for Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley on Opposite You. Larry is, to quote the title of one of his Broadway shows, a class act.

Meanwhile, because we realize we haven't announced it officially yet, our cast recording of GREY GARDENS, starring Christine Ebersole & Mary Louise Wilson, will hit stores on August 22nd.  We'll start shipping directly from PS Classics on August 8th.  We're not set up to accept preorders here, but check back then, because that’s the date we'll be on sale. Or if you prefer, it's available for preorder at Amazon, where they’ll begin shipping on August 22nd.

In an expansive piece at Edge Magazine, Adam Hetrick raved about the Sunday stars: “As Seurat’s lover and muse Dot, Jenna Russell is appealing and sumptuous. She remarkably captures the character’s earthy passions, and gives a performance that both enlightens the role and measures up to her Broadway predecessor’s. George is warmer here than before, rarely cold - a man enrapt in his work and painfully divided in his longing for Dot. Daniel Evan’s rich tenor is coupled with a solid interpretation which thrives on disc.” He observed, “With room to breathe on two discs, Sunday in the Park with George has a relationship at its center which is more alive than ever. Thankfully, the original Broadway cast was preserved on film, but the original cast recording only gives a glimpse of the nature of George and Dot’s relationship. PS Classics has given the characters at the center a chance to speak, sing, and develop along with the score - so that a more rounded and effecting experience takes place.”

At Playbill.com, Steven Suskin (who called us “the adventurous independent label from Bronxville” – thank you, Steven) admitted “I find this new CD more enjoyable than the Grammy Award-winning original cast album,” predicting , “I already foresee the Evans-Russell Sunday becoming my Sunday of choice, and I am glad to pass on an unqualified recommendation.” In the Philadelphia Daily News, Jonathan Takiff was most succinct: “Show-tune fans should relish it,” he wrote, and gave it an “A.”

Turning to our other album, Brian Scott Lipton at Theatermania.com wrote, “Let's all be grateful for It's Only Life, which not only provides an outlet for the breadth of John Bucchino's singular songwriting but doubles as a great vocal showcase for Brooks Ashmanskas, Andrea Burns, Gavin Creel, Jessica Molaskey, and Billy Porter.” And at Talkin’ Broadway, Rob Lester marveled, “Like Sondheim, John writes both music and words with a pen that can pierce the heart and fills the page and stage with dense but precise lyrics.  They also share that rare talent of writing with specificity and detail that often ends up capturing the universal.” He concluded, “This is a life-affirming, thought-provoking collection. Applause all around.”

But some of the nicest things we’ve read have been E-mails from customers. In six years, we’ve rarely received the kind of warm, supportive and enthusiastic notes we’ve gotten over the last month. Coincidentally, in an expansive piece in today’s New York Times, Stephen Holden included several very kind mentions of PS Classics (thank you, Stephen), plugging Sunday in the Park With George, our upcoming cast album of Grey Gardens, and several other recordings. He found our catalog "flourishing" and our work here “invaluable,” a kind sentiment that’s been echoed by a lot of the mail we’ve received recently. We try to respond to each and every E-mail personally, but in case a few have slipped by, thanks to all who’ve written in, and for all your kind words.

When Darius first performed his Strayhorn show in March of 2001, Stephen Holden in The New York Times wrote, "This extraordinary program has to be recorded." The resulting CD prompted our first reviews from the regional music critics, and they were ecstatic. The LA Times applauded the many “remarkable” cuts, noting, “De Haas' interpretations are driven by an astonishingly versatile voice.” The Chicago Tribune hailed, “Offering sometimes radical reappraisals of jazz standards by composer Billy Strayhorn, De Haas proves fearless in recasting these tunes in original, distinctive ways.” And Jazz Times called it "one of the finest Strayhorn salutes ever captured on disc.” On Sunday, June 18th, at 7:30 PM, at the Great Hall at Cooper Union in New York, Darius offers his first-ever retrospective of the many composers and songs with which he's long been associated.

Jessica’s Pentimento was the first of three CD’s she’s done with us, and our customers found it pure pleasure. Pentimento is defined as "an underlying image," and here, Jessica took some of the greatest pop songs of the '20s and '30s and revealed their full emotional range. Alternately joyous, sly, and bittersweet, she and the extraordinary musicians who joined her (including husband singer-guitarist John Pizzarelli) brought new life to old favorites like “Oh, You Beautiful Doll,” “Ain’t We Got Fun,” “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” and “What’ll I Do?” Jonathan Schwartz of National Public Radio called Jessica's performances "droll, understated and heartbreaking,” and found the album "a singular work of art." Jessica is at the famed Algonquin Hotel Oak Room in New York City for three weeks beginning Tuesday, June 13th.

Meanwhile, there’s one other nominee we’d like to mention: our friend Patti LuPone (Best Actress nominated for Sweeney Todd) has a wonderful album out from our colleagues at Ghostlight, Lady With a Torch. And since we haven’t done a “CD’s we like” column in a while, there are two others from Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight of which we're especially fond: Julia Murney’s I’m Not Waiting, and the cast album of Michael John LaChiusa’s See What I Wanna See, both of them striking in very different ways. And then – welcome to the 21st century – there’s something splendid worth checking out not on CD, but online: Jeff Blumenkrantz’s Podcast, with some amazing artists performing the gifted composer’s best material.

As for the title of this column, a line from “Tonight” (and not from Most Happy Fella: that would have been “Joey, Joey”), we’ve looked for a while, but we don’t seem to have a rendition of that Bernstein/Sondheim classic anywhere on our label. But for Bernstein buffs, we’d like to recommend “Lonely Town,” from Jeff Harnar’s Dancing in the Dark; and if you’re searching for Sondheim, there are four cast albums and various solo performances (among them, Jessica Molaskey’s “So Many People,” Philip Chaffin’s “Silly People,” and Jason Danieley and Marin Mazzie’s five-song “Sondheim Suite”) scattered throughout our catalog.

Also available now: John Bucchino's wonderful new musical revue, IT'S ONLY LIFE, with Brooks Ashmanskas, Andrea Burns, Gavin Creel, Jessica Molaskey & Billy Porter.

Meanwhile, we have pages up for our two-CD set of the London production of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and for John Bucchino's new revue IT'S ONLY LIFE, including full track listing and description. Both CD's receive early webreleases here on May 10th.

Meanwhile, while we were in London recording Sunday in the Park With George, our new recording of DECEMBER SONGS hit stores, and the first review in was from Richard Ouzounian, theatre critic for the Toronto Star, who wrote, “Composer-lyricist Maury Yeston is best known for his work on shows like Nine and Titanic, but he also has a deft and haunting way with an art song. This cycle of 11 songs, drenched in wintry longing and loss, is sung both in English and French by Isabelle Georges, with a beauty of tone and poignancy of intonation that is heart-rending. Selections like ‘Please Let's Not Even Say Hello’ and ‘I Had a Dream About You’ have a lyrical and musical pathos that is guaranteed to stir your heart.”

For those in the New York area, Rebecca Luker (of LEAVING HOME) will be bringing her acclaimed one-woman show back to Feinstein’s at the Regency from May 9-20. Jason Danieley and Marin Mazzie will perform OPPOSITE YOU at Feinstein’s on May 1 & 15, then head further up the coast to join the Boston Pops the first three days of June. Down in warmer climes, Johnny Rodgers and his band (of BOX OF PHOTOGRAPHS) are at the Miracle Theatre in Coral Gables, FL, on March 31 and April 1.

From now through May 21, first at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ, then at Papermill Playhouse, GrooveLily (from STRIKING 12) is appearing in the new production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Tina Landau, described as "a collaborative venture between musicians, aerialists, dancers, actors and singers." And in more exotic locales, Jeff Harnar (of DANCING IN THE DARK) is on the Holland America Princendam from March 26 to April 6, then out on the Celebrity Mercury from May 3 to 14, while Christine Andreas (of HERE’S TO THE LADIES) headlines at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in Australia from June 13 to 17.

Meanwhile, although we don’t have a recording anywhere on our label of “Spring Has Sprung,” that bouncy little Schwartz/Fields gem from Excuse My Dust, we can offer – for Schwartz devotees – “Haunted Heart,” from Philip Chaffin’s WARM SPRING NIGHT, and “Dancing in the Dark” and “By Myself,” from Jeff Harnar’s DANCING IN THE DARK,” and for Fields fans, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” from Jessica Molaskey’s PENTIMENTO, and “The Way You Look Tonight,” from Deborah Tranelli’s A LOT OF LIVIN’.

Or if you prefer your Schwartz and Fields as a team, try “Growing Pains,” from Ms. Molaskey’s MAKE BELIEVE, or the title track from Mr. Chaffin’s WHERE DO I GO FROM YOU?, which was actually cut from the aforementioned Excuse My Dust.

Meanwhile, for those in the New York area, we have a special surprise: Isabelle Georges, the glorious soloist on December Songs, will be flying in from Paris to do a special performance at Tower Records Lincoln Center on Wednesday, March 8th, at 6 PM. Her masterful accompanist, Stan Cramer, will be joining her for December Songs selections in both English and French – she’ll also perform a few of her other favorite Maury Yeston tunes. Composer Yeston will be in attendance, and following the performance, Isabelle, Stan and Maury will all be on hand to sign CD’s. Maury first heard Isabelle perform in the winter of 2004, and was so moved, he wrote a new song especially for her. (That song, “Strange,” is the first track on the new CD.) Don’t miss the chance to hear this entrancing performer during her brief trip to the States!

Johnny Rodgers’ debut CD, Box of Photographs, inspired the following from All Music’s Jonathan Widran: “The real achievement of this glorious whirlwind of 12 original songs is the way it celebrates artistic independence in a world of cookie-cutter artists and hyper-restrictive radio formatting. That is, Rodgers is comfortable singing and swinging in all styles — soaring piano-driven pop ballads, moody jazz, James Taylor-flavored confessional pop-folk, gospel-country, and samba. That list covers only the first five tracks. If this collection is any indication of what's to come, Rodgers will be an across-the-board superstar.”

Rob Lester at Talkin’ Broadway named Box of Photographs one of the 10 best vocal releases of the year, and named our Broadway cast recording of The Frogs as one of the best show albums. Meanwhile, Tower Records picked its own top 10 in various categories, and for best Vocal Album, Marin Mazzie & Jason Danieley’s Opposite You took the gold (“without a doubt the classiest and most consistently delightful vocal album of the year”) and Philip Chaffin’s Warm Spring Night took the silver (“Philip's warm voice and sensitive delivery in several instances outperforms the artists on the original cast recordings”).

And in a feature at Playbill.com entitled “A Pop Musical on the Verge of Tomorrow,” Kenneth Jones praised GrooveLily’s Striking 12 as “the best new American musical that nobody has heard of.” Happily, that’s not quite true, as Striking 12, for the second year in a row, was our best-selling holiday item. If you haven’t purchased it yet, are you really gonna wait till the next holiday sale?

At Theatermania, Brian Scott Lipton wrote of Jeff Harnar’s latest release, Dancing in the Dark, “Listening to this creamy-voiced crooner is like lounging beside a fireplace on a cold winter's night; Harnar's baritone is supremely warm and comforting.” (At Broadway’s Biggest Hits, Chris Curcio concurred, calling it “a delightfully warm, wonderful collection” and giving it an “A.”)

Lipton then went on to call Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley (of Opposite You), “a theatrical super-couple .... blessed with two of the most glorious voices currently found on the legitimate stage. Their first recording together is a highly enjoyable mix of duets and solos and includes a spectacular suite of five Sondheim songs.” Lipton concluded, “All in all, this is one of the year's best CDs,” a sentiment shared by Steven Suskin at Playbill.com, by Ken Mandelbaum at Broadway.com, by Chad Jones in the Oakland Tribune (“easily the year's most enjoyable vocal release”), and by Jonathan Schwartz on National Public Radio.

In his year-end best-of list, Mandelbaum found Philip Chaffin’s Warm Spring Night equally “worthy of kudos.” (In the December Jazz Times, Christopher Loudon called it an album of “delectable surprises.”) And the aforementioned Mr. Suskin, along with Andy Propst at XM Satellite Radio, made special mention of our original Broadway cast recording of The Frogs (the LA Times found it “lively, rapturous and rousing”) and last year’s fall release, Jessica Molaskey’s Make Believe, which the Houston Chronicle hailed as a “stunning mix of recut Broadway jewels.”

In the meantime, if you haven't yet purchased the aforementioned Maury Yeston Songbook, you might want to take another look. Shortly after its release, the New York Times noted that our CD "had critics applauding," and indeed it did. The Dallas Ft. Worth Star-Telegram gave it four stars, dubbing it "a great tribute to a great composer," and the Dallas Morning News proclaimed, "Yeston's best is as good as anyone's. The CD provides overwhelming evidence of how inventive and passionate his stuff can be." The Atlanta Journal Constitution gave it an "A" and called it "the kind of CD you'll play again and again and again, each time hearing something new," and the Detroit News concurred: "This new compilation shows Yeston at his best... it's a collection worth repeat listening." And the Houston Chronicle found it "a perfect example of the unique artistry that makes Yeston an major talent indispensable to contemporary musical theatre. Grade: A."

So whether your taste runs from showtunes (Marin Mazzie & Jason Danieley: Opposite You) to easy listening (Jeff Harnar: Dancing in the Dark) to pop (Johnny Rodgers: Box of Photographs); from Broadway (Pacific Overtures, The Frogs, and Fiddler on the Roof) to off-Broadway (Stephen Schwartz's Captain Louie and GrooveLily's Striking 12) to regional theatre (Ricky Ian Gordon’s Only Heaven and Michael John LaChiusa’s First Lady Suite); from Jerome Moross to Maury Yeston to Jason Robert Brown -- feel free to browse through our catalog and see what strikes your fancy!

As sublime as their CD is, seeing Valerie Vigoda, Brendan Milburn and Gene Lewin in a live performance of their "rewired version of The Little Match Girl" (as co-written by Vigoda, Milburn, and Spelling Bee's Rachel Sheinkin) is a special treat. So go to smarttix.com and purchase tickets to see the show the LA Times called "ideal holiday entertainment" and the San Francisco Chronicle called "a buoyant, magnetic holiday gift for us all."

On November 9th, at 6 PM, Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley will be at the Tower Records at Lincoln Center to sing and sign copies of their new album OPPOSITE YOU. One week later, on November 16th, at 6 PM, Jeff Harnar will perform selections from his new PS Classics release, DANCING IN THE DARK.

Meanwhile, on Broadway, Luba Mason (of COLLAGE) continues her run as Velma Kelly in Chicago at the Ambassador, while Lauren Kennedy (of SONGS OF JASON ROBERT BROWN) is the new Lady of the Lake in Monty Python's Spamalot at the Shubert Theatre beginning December 20th. And at Feinstein's at the Regency, from December 12th to 15th, Rebecca Luker (of LEAVING HOME) will be making her much-anticipated New York solo cabaret debut.

If you're checking out Michael John La Chiusa's new SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE at the Public, consider stopping here afterwards and picking up his FIRST LADY SUITE, which premiered at the Public back in 1993, but which we had the pleasure of recording with a brilliant LA cast in 2002. If the new production of SWEENEY TODD puts you in the mood for more Stephen Sondheim, you might want to sample our recordings of ASSASSINS, THE FROGS, and PACIFIC OVERTURES. And if you take the family to FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (now in its second year at the Minskoff) or CAPTAIN LOUIE (which opened last night at the Little Shubert), and don't have a chance to pick up a CD on your way out, they're available here!

As for the title of this column, we don't actually have a rendition of that Vernon Duke classic anywhere on our label, or for that matter, "April in Paris," the Duke/Harburg song that preceded and inspired it. But we can highly recommend, for Duke devotees, "Sailing at Midnight" from Philip Chaffin's WARM SPRING NIGHT, featuring guest artist Rebecca Luker, and "Taking a Chance on Love" from the aforementioned DANCING IN THE DARK; and for Harburg fans, we can offer the bouncy "Two Blind Loves" from Chaffin's WHERE DO I GO FROM YOU?, the wistful "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" from Jane Olivor's SAFE RETURN, and the haunting "Right as the Rain" from Jessica Molaskey's MAKE BELIEVE.

On July 27th, Philip Chaffin, accompanied by Tommy Krasker, will be performing a half-hour of selections from Warm Spring Night, which the Toronto Star just called "worth adding to your collection, not just for the supple beauty of Chaffin's voice, which manages to be robust yet delicate at the same time, but for this imaginatively chosen selection of 14 love songs."

One week later, on August 3rd, Johnny Rodgers and his band will be on hand to offer a preview of his new release, Box of Photographs; although Box of Photographs doesn't actually go on sale till the following Tuesday, we've arranged with the Lincoln Center Tower to get copies early, so that those in attendance can have the first CD on the block! (Meanwhile, for those who can't wait, the CD just went on pre-sale at Amazon.com.)

Meanwhile, speaking of Pacific Overtures (the source of the title of this column), Peter Filichia, in the Newark Star-Ledger, wrote, "Revival cast albums rarely are [as good as the originals]. One of the exceptions, though, is Stephen Sondheim's 'Pacific Overtures.'" At Broadway's Biggest Hits, Chris Curcio gave our new recording an "A", calling it one of Sondheim's "most interesting and unique shows," performed with "care and rich detail" by a "strong and forceful cast." Rob Lester at Talkin' Broadway found it "created with love, care, and respect." And at Broadway.com, Ken Mandelbaum noted, "At seventy-nine minutes, PS Classics' new Broadway cast recording is the longest and most comprehensive single-disc version of the score. It favors complete sequences with dialogue included (i.e. 'A Bowler Hat'), and also includes a fair amount of underscored lead-in dialogue. PS Classics has also provided a valuable bonus track of a song cut during the show's tryout, 'Prayers,' with original director Harold Prince narrating and Sondheim singing and playing."

Meanwhile, Jack Donahue, of STRANGE WEATHER, begins a two-week engagement at the Algonguin Hotel's famed Oak Room on June 14. If you're in town, book your reservation now to hear why the Oakland Tribune called Jack "classier and less pretentious than current crooners such as Michael Buble and Peter Cincotti. Donahue has eclectic musical taste, but that's an asset when you're blending jazz with cabaret and giving it all a subtle dramatic spin."

And since we announced that we were recording an album with Jason Danieley and Marin Mazzie, we've been flooded with notes asking about a release date. We won't say much more than this: we recorded "Opposite You" on May 11 & 12, and we're working like crazy to get it ready for a fall release. More info as we know it!

But here's what's happened in the last six weeks:

We recorded the off-Broadway cast album of Lone Star Love, featuring the Red Clay Ramblers, on which we're beginning post-production next week. Release date TBA.

We announced that we'll be releasing the world premiere recording of Stephen Schwartz's family musical Captain Louie on May 3, to coincide with a production that opens the following day at the York Theatre in New York. (This CD will be available only at the York Theatre and here at psclassics.com.)

And we finished our New Broadway Cast Album of Pacific Overtures, which comes out on May 10th. 79 minutes plus. Look for a song list to be posted here in the next few days.

Meanwhile, Striking 12, the concert musical by the acclaimed smart-pop trio GrooveLily, hit stores on March 22nd. And Deborah Tranelli, of A Lot of Livin', won the 2005 Backstage Bistro award for Best Recording. (Jazz Times said, "Tranelli shimmers and sparkles throughout her splendidly polished debut disc.")

The San Francisco Chronicle called our original Broadway cast album of The Frogs "wonderful," while the Austin American-Statesman hailed, "The arrival of the thrillingly recorded PS Classics CD came as a forehead-slapping surprise. This show never stints on energy, wit or humor. Let's hope a production comes our way some day soon." And the Oakland Tribune called it "thoroughly entertaining ... showtune heaven."

At Talkin' Broadway, Rob Lester promised, "Sondheim fans will be in heaven." At the Philadelphia Daily News, Jonathan Takiff found the CD "gleeful .... evocative of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and similarly lots of fun," and gave us an A-. In the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Donald Rosenberg took that A- and raised it to an A, raving, "This is a hoot. Lane's comic gifts and Sondheim's score keep the show humming on disc. Several of the new songs find Sondheim in top, sprightly form, notably 'I Love to Travel' and 'Hades.'" And in the Toronto Star, Richard Ouzounian cheered, "Even on a recording, Lane is funnier than anyone around, and a Sondheim score is nothing to sneeze at, full of delicious jokes. Apart from laughter, there's also Michael Siberry's haunting rendition of 'Fear No More' and Lane's touching delivery of 'Ariadne.' The album is a joy."

On the East Coast, from February 10-12 at the Terrace Gallery at the Kennedy Center in D.C., Christine Andreas will salute the women of the musical theatre who influenced her career, offering tunes from her critically acclaimed "Here's to the Ladies." Also on the 12th, in the Allen Room at Lincoln Center in New York City, as part of the American Songbook series, Rebecca Luker (of "Leaving Home") will apply her ravishing voice to the innovative new music of today's most exciting theater composers & lyricists.

Two nights later, on the 14th, Jack Donahue (of "Strange Weather") will light up the Oak Room at the famed Algonquin Hotel in a program entitled (appropriately, for Valentine's Day) "My Foolish Heart." And at Lincoln Center's Rose Theatre on February 23rd, Darius de Haas (of ""Day Dream: Variations on Strayhorn") joins the New York Festival of Song for a program entitled At Harlem's Height, celebrating such great African-American composers and writers as Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Eubie Blake, Fats Waller, Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes.

Meanwhile, in other news, Michael Portantiere at Theatermania called our cast recording of THE FROGS (in stores this week) "superb," "marvelous," and "sure to provide hours of repeated listening pleasure." You can check out his review here.

And as you might have noticed, we've been busily updating our pages over the last few weeks. The "Our CD's" page has been redesigned to make it a little easier to peruse our product. And we've reinstated two of our most requested interviews from the past: Michael John LaChiusa's illuminating comments about his First Lady Suite, and Christine Andreas's behind-the-scenes stories about the making of Here's to the Ladies.

Meanwhile, over the last few weeks, glowing reviews have come in for Jessica Molaskey's third CD with us, Make Believe. The Philadelphia Daily News called it "smartly sung and sublimely arranged," while the Atlanta Journal-Constitution called it "delightful, one of the best musical pleasures of 2004." And in a lengthy piece in the Houston Chronicle, Everett Evans wrote that the CD "makes believers with its stunning mix of recut Broadway jewels. [It's like] discovering a treasure: you want to call your friends and share the good news." Jessica's appearing at the famed Algonquin Oak Room in New York City from January 18-29. As Jazz Times recently put it, "Rare indeed is the Broadway belter who can cross the footlights to find equal comfort and acceptance in smoky boites and trio-lined studios. The rule’s exception is Jessica Molaskey." The Algonquin engagement is sure to be a memorable occasion; for reservations, call 212-419-9331.

When Striking 12 played the Old Globe in San Diego last December, Don Shirley of the LA Times raved, "In the quest for ideal holiday entertainment for adults, Striking 12 strikes gold. The three magnetic performers that make up GrooveLily blend elements of musical theater with rock, folk and rap into a savory musical stew." And during its run at the Prince Theatre in Philadelphia, Douglas J. Keating in the Philadelphia Inquirer rejoiced, "This holiday-themed show by the pop trio GrooveLily is an inventive presentation that is part theater piece, part concert, and wholly entertaining."

Striking 12 won't hit stores till spring of 2005, but in the holiday spirit, we're making this wonderful new cast album, recorded live during performances at Symphony Space in New York City in September of 2004, available now exclusively here at PS Classics. So if you're a GrooveLily fan, or if you haven't had the fun of experiencing the sound that the Boston Globe labeled "smart, sassy, fiddle-friendly and pop-catchy," pick up a CD here and enjoy the unique, infectious spirit of Striking 12!

And you haven't picked up Jack's CD, Strange Weather, then you've missed out on a treat that Jazz Times, the world's most widely-read jazz magazine, just labeled "exquisite." Hailing Jack as "a guy worth keeping an eye on," writer Chris Loudon noted, "It's not every singer who can handle the carousel ebullience of Kenny Rankin's 'Haven't We Met,' the retro bounciness of 'You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby,' the saucy innuendo of Cole Porter's 'Let's Do It,' the inky grandeur of Kurt Well's 'Lost in the Stars,' and the cheeky familiarity of Jay Leonhart's cocky 'Robert Frost' with parallel aplomb. Donahue can."

We should begin selling The Frogs here at PS Classics a few weeks prior to street date. In the meantime, if you haven't checked out our ongoing web-sale, all CD's are marked down to $9.95 for the month of November. And in case you're seeking further info about certain CD's before making a purchase, we've updated a number of the CD pages with fresh descriptions and reviews.

From the Seattle Times: "If anyone can ace Joni Mitchell's octave-climbing early songs, it's Rebecca Luker, and in this lovely album, one discovers how naturally this Alabama-bred singer lends her shimmering soprano and cogent story-telling skill to folk-pop classics." The Detroit News described it as "stunning... full of life, love and Luker's warm personality." And The Toronto Star, hailing Rebecca as "one of the shining lights of the current musical theatre generation," found that she ventured into this new repertoire "with stunning results. This is an easy listening recording in the very best sense of the word. Buy it."

Some of the most thoughtful pieces have come from the gay press. In Bay Windows, New England's Largest Gay & Lesbian Newspaper, John Amodeo called it a "stunning solo recording," in which Rebecca ("as captivating in the coffeehouse as she is in a theater") takes on "songs of Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, Janis Ian and Billy Joel, often better than the originals, employing the riveting conviction of an actress and her luxuriously versatile soprano. Her most astonishing offering is a heart-breaking 'Getting Over You,' rendered so poignant that you would have to be made of stone not to be moved."

And just last month, in Edge Boston, Adam Hetrick gave it an "A," noting "Luker brings a new spirit to these songs that is wholly her own. Easy and stylish, it's a great listen and winning enough to really sit down and take to heart. Luker has found music that she sounds born to sing." And with a nod to our own mission statement, he concluded, "PS Classics seems to have allowed the artist's wishes to come to life, making it a compelling and personal recording."

To hear sound clips, to read more, or to order Leaving Home, click here.

In today's San Francisco Chronicle, Robert Hurwitt writes, "This spring's multiple Tony-winning Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's 'Assassins' has already closed, but the new Broadway cast recording is well worth shelf space beside the 1990 off-Broadway original. The score, masterfully handled once again by musical director Paul Gemignani, and the lyrics are prime Sondheim. It's a multifaceted gaze into disturbing aspects of the American dream."

In its fall entertainment preview, The Dallas-Fort Worth Star Telegram put our new CD among its top five attractions, noting, "Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's musical about president killers (and would-be killers) finally made it to Broadway this year and took away five Tony Awards. It takes only one listen to this excellent recording to see why." In the Oakland Tribune, Chad Jones judged the CD "as good if not better" than the original, finding "a vitality to the performances and to Paul Gemignani's music direction that makes Sondheim's songs even more thrilling."

Michael Barnes in The Austin American-Statesman called it "a Sondheim to celebrate," noting, "One breathes in orchestrator Michael Starobin's rich instrumental styles, from 19th-century military bands to late 20th-century minimalism. The rising storm at the end of 'Take a Look, Lee' gives me chills." And in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Donald Rosenberg found that "this new version makes the piece seem fresher than ever. Paul Gemignani, who was musical director for the original 1991 production, is back for the 2004 mounting, guiding a performance that is quicker and therefore more urgent than its predecessor."

Happily, after running short of CD's here at psclassics.com, we now have "Assassins" back in stock. So if you want to see what all the hoopla is about, order now!

At Time Out New York, David Cote, charting the show's long long road to Broadway, concluded, "Preserved in this exciting theatrical recording (songs interspersed with snippets of scenes give it an engaging radio-drama feel), Assassins can finally shed its reputation as a historical loser." And at Talkin' Broadway, Jonathan Frank felt we'd done a "remarkable job" preserving the Roundabout's "powerful" production.

At Broadway.com, Ken Mandelbaum called it "a potent disc .... this new recording provides a fine account of Sondheim's darkly chilling song cyle of Americana while also offering a comprehensive picture of the show as a whole." Theatremania's Marc Miller described it as a "bang-up job," noting, "This is a rich, varied score with moments of humor and lyricism among all the dysfunction and destruction. It may never receive a finer rendering than it does here."

At Broadway's Biggest Hits, Chris Curcio hailed, "The Broadway cast stuns with vivid character interpretations both in the theater and on disc ... this brilliant recording of the show belongs in every Sondheim-lovers music library."

And at Playbill, Steven Suskin -- applauding the work of director Joe Mantello, the peerless cast, and our own sound engineer, the gifted Tom Lazarus -- went so far as to say, "Does this new [CD of] Assassins supplant the worthy original? My answer, on consideration, is a definite yes."

And we're no less proud of our other Broadway cast album this season, the new production of Fiddler on the Roof, starring Alfred Molina. The CD hits stores tomorrow; last Friday, Ken Mandelbaum at Broadway.com called it "the most complete Fiddler stage cast album," giving it "a marked advantage over other available recordings." For a complete track listing, or to order, click here.

And check back here soon for announcements about our upcoming fall releases.

Meanwhile, our new cast album of the current Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof is now on sale here at psclassics.com, in anticipation of its June 8th street date.

And for those of you who've been asking about the studio cast recording of the 1930 Kay Swift/Paul James musical "Fine and Dandy," starring Carolee Carmello, Gavin Creel, Mark Linn-Baker, and Mario Cantone, that album was released by the not-for-profit organization PS Classics Inc. Although our founders Tommy Krasker and Philip Chaffin are also on the board of PS Classics Inc., it's a totally separate entity devoted to the preservation and restoration of forgotten American musical theatre works. The website for PS Classics Inc. is www.psclassics.org.

Look for a street date of June 8th, with a webrelease here at PS Classics a week or two prior to that.

"THIS IS A FIDDLER FOR EVERYONE! Strikingly re-imagined, it reinstates 'Fiddler' in the Broadway musical pantheon!" -- Time Magazine. "THE ENTIRE SHOW IS BATHED IN MAGIC! The score comes across rapturously, the dancing thrills, the costumes are perfect and the set design brilliant."- New York Magazine. "THE THRILLS BEGIN WITH THE VERY FIRST BEAT! This elegant revival is a Broadway rarity." - The New Yorker.

At Broadway.com, Ken Mandelbaum wrote "Luker is as comfortable in this music as she is in Broadway material, displaying the same purity of tone, effortless phrasing, and flawless intonation." Theatermania's Brian Scott Lipton called it "superb" and "a home-run," and David Hurst in Show Business promised, "As soon as [Rebecca's fans] hear Luker's incomparable soprano caress this ravishing collection of folk and rock songs by writers as diverse as Joni Mitchell, Janis Ian, Carly Simon and Amanda McBroom, they'll be in heaven all over again. Indeed, Luker - who possesses one of the most flawless voices of any lyric soprano singing today - has gone out on a creative limb on Leaving Home to stretch herself both artistically and emotionally with lovely results."

At Playbill On-Line, Andrew Gans called the CD "beautiful": "She begins her 14-track disc with Joni Mitchell’s 'River,' and her wide-ranging voice is a perfect match for Mitchell’s song of longing. Luker also scores with Janis Ian’s aching 'Getting Over You' and has fun with another Joni Mitchell classic, 'Chelsea Morning.' Other highlights include Carly Simon’s 'Boys in the Trees,' Billy Joel’s 'You’re My Home' and a duet with Alison Fraser on 'Wick.'"

For those of you in the New York City area, Rebecca will be signing copies of the CD this Wednesday, March 24th, from 5 to 7 PM, at Theatre Circle at 268 W. 44th St.