SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED: THE NYC SESSIONS – VOLUME TWO Out Now

The album features Telly Leung, Donna Vivino, Christina Bianco, Jeff Kready, Tally Sessions and more.

by Chloe Rabinowitz Mar. 22, 2022

SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED: THE NYC SESSIONS – VOLUME TWO Out Now

YELLOW SOUND LABEL has announced the release of Sondheim Unplugged: The NYC Sessions - Volume Two, the next installment of the monumental three-volume set dedicated to the oeuvre of iconic musical theater composer Stephen Sondheim. The second edition is available today, Tuesday, March 22 - which would have been Sondheim's 92nd birthday - in streaming and digital formats, in addition to a 2-disc CD. The album is produced by the series creator Phil Geoffrey Bond and features Music Director Joseph Goodrich on piano. Sondheim Unplugged: The NYC Sessions, which will ultimately encompass 70 singers and 120 songs, is a landmark collection destined to be a major contribution to the canon of Sondheim recordings. The series will continue on June 1 with Volume Three. Sondheim Unplugged: The NYC Sessions - Volume Two is now available at YellowSoundLabel.com and SondheimUnplugged.com.

Sondheim Unplugged is the smash New York revue captured here with electrifying performances from some of Broadway's most impressive vocalists, who collectively boast over 100 Broadway credits to their names. Several of this edition's key performers originated roles in Sondheim musicals, including George Lee Andrews (A Little Night Music), George Dvorsky (Passion), Danielle Ferland (Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George), Teri Ralston (Company, A Little Night Music), Sarah Rice (Sweeney Todd), Melanie Vaughan (Sunday in the Park with George), and Jim Walton (Merrily We Roll Along).

The album also includes singers currently on Broadway in the new revival of Sondheim's Company (Jeff Kready, Manu Narayan, Nicholas Rodriguez, Tally Sessions), in addition to performers from recent Sondheim revivals of A Little Night Music (Hunter Ryan Herdlicka), Company (Leenya Rideout), The Frogs (Eric Michael Gillett), and Pacific Overtures (Telly Leung). The illustrious list continues with Tony Award nominees Dee Hoty, Sally Mayes, and Emily Skinner, in addition to the return of the acclaimed vocal quintet Marquee Five.

In contrast to some of the grand concert presentations of the composer's work, Sondheim Unplugged strives to convey each song simply and essentially, burnished by impeccable performances and enhanced by spare yet elegant piano accompaniment. This second edition highlights more of the best-loved tunes from the master composer's prolific collection of works ("Being Alive," "Losing My Mind," "Anyone Can Whistle"), as well as lesser-heard, sparkling treasures from projects like Evening Primrose and Reds. It also features rarely-recorded selections from the unproduced movie musical Singing Out Loud, and cut songs from Gypsy ("Smile, Girls"), A Little Night Music ("Silly People"), Anyone Can Whistle ("There's Always A Woman"), and more. Recorded in the studio throughout 2020 and 2021, this is a once-in-a-generation compendium of some of the most classic songs in contemporary musical theater history.

The first volume in the series was the #1 best-seller on Amazon in the "Musical Soundtracks and Scores" category for the first three months of its release. It was hailed as "a rich and rewarding treasure trove of recordings" by BroadwayWorld.com and "a stellar collection" from Midwest Record. The Algemeiner called it "Simply phenomenal. A must-listen for any Broadway, Sondheim, or theatre fan."

"Yellow Sound Label is once again excited to release another compelling edition of this ongoing Sondheim project," says label's executive producer Michael Croiter. "It's an honor to have an album with so many beloved songs and wonderful rarities from Sondheim's catalog."

Forbes called Sondheim Unplugged "a nightlife staple for Sondheim devotees and New York's musical theater community." According to BroadwayWorld.com, "Sondheim Unplugged isn't just one of the most entertaining shows in New York City, it's one of the most important. This is a stellar and starry cast, all sublimely talented musicians and crackerjack actors - both gifts that, when combined, add up to some noteworthy entertainment." The New York Times invites you to "pour yourself a glass of something bubbly and enjoy."

Sondheim Unplugged - hosted by series creator Phil Geoffrey Bond, who fills the audience in on Sondheimian facts, history, and assorted tidbits of theatrical lore - has been a celebrated monthly New York event since 2010, featuring some of Broadway and the nightclub scene's most dynamic voices, accompanied by piano only. In addition to its regular home of Feinstein's/54 Below in New York, the evening has been seen in venues and performing arts centers, including NJPAC (New Jersey Performing Arts Center), and in London at The Hippodrome and Live at Zedel.

The show is the recipient of the BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Award for "Best Variety Show/Recurring Series" and the Bistro Award for "Outstanding Cabaret Series," in addition to a nomination for "Show of the Year" from the Manhattan Association of Clubs.

For more information, please visit SondheimUnplugged.com.

YELLOW SOUND LABEL is an Emmy Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated, cutting-edge company that produces established performers, up-and-coming artists and original cast recordings. The boutique label takes a hands-on approach in nurturing and producing passionate, focused performers and composers who create quality, noteworthy recordings. YellowSoundLabel.com