SaSi productions new openly gay recording artist Sacha Sacket has a great new CD and quite a tour schedule. What is perhaps most surprising with Shadowed, however, is its stunning beauty and persistent faith. This is not an album thrust in a mire of self-defeat. Baroque-like strings flow into an electronic sound scape with dramatic sensitivity. Acoustic instruments fuse seamlessly with electronic, resulting in an entirely ethereal vision. The album creates a lush, sumptuous, almost underwater world. "I discovered failing doesn't necessarily equate flailing," Sacket smirks. "In a way, Shadowed redefined my vision of what 'hell' could be. I found a deep romance, a beautiful vulnerability, a world awash with moonlight. In all my struggles, I found an incredible peace and quietude, a powerful sense of faith and purity. In reality, it is the most difficult times when we discover how strong and resilient we truly are where we are actually renewed.

Sacket's music is not one for easy comparison. His remarkable and plaintive sensitivity conjures thoughts of a post-millennial Nick Drake, while a beautiful, textured piano recalls his classical past ­ a young obsession with Beethoven. His talent, however, is undeniable. Armed with a unique and powerful voice, which is perhaps his greatest asset, Sacket grabs your heart and never fails to deliver.

Here's a story of a man named Brady, who was busy with 3 boys of his own! Yes, that is how we would have liked to see it. Now for the first time ever, Paramount Home Entertainment presents one of America's favorite family sitcoms, The Brady Bunch-The Complete First Season, which finally comes to DVD on March 1. The highly anticipated 4-disc DVD features all original 25 episodes from that first season in 1969-70.

Special features on the DVD include commentary on the pilot episode "The Honeymoon" by the show's creator and executive producer Sherwood Schwartz; commentaries on episode 12 "A Camping We Will Go" and episode 23 "The Hero" by cast members Barry Williams, Christopher Knight and Susan Olsen; plus a featurette "The Brady Bunch: Coming Together Under One Roof." The comedy series famous for its catchy theme song truly has become a pop culture icon and is still enjoyed by viewers of all ages.

 

The Hearts Foundation's annual FIREBALL heats up Chicago once again this month and Centaur has the musical highlights captured on a new Party Groove CD. Party Groove: Fireball Volume 3 is mixed by DJ Paulo, the featured DJ for the notorious closing party Flame held at Crobar here in Chicago and features a high energy mix of #1 artists and exclusive material. Centaur is thrilled to have Billboard reporting DJ Paulo make his commercial debut on the Party Groove CD series, and to carry on the tradition of the Fireball series set by his predecessors Rosabel, the remixing team of Ralphie Rosario and Abel.

 

Another new release is buzzing around; it is a new CD from Tori Amos. It has been over two years since musical force Tori Amos has brought new music to her ever growing foundation of dedicated fans. Just released on February 22nd, The Beekeeper by Tori Amos.

Tori recorded and self-produced the album in her UK studio, Martian Engineering. On songs like "Sweet the Sting", "Sleeps With Butterflies" and "Ribbons Undone, " Tori i ncorporates vintage organs, Afro Cuban drums and Gospel choirs, working once again with long time partners, drummer Matt Chamberlain and bassist Jon Evans.

In February, Tori will also release a book, Tori Amos: Piece by Piece co-penned with writer Ann Powers. In this book, the usually private Tori gives a rare inside look into mane intimacies of her life as both a private individual and a very public performing musician. Tori continues to be one of the most intriguing and respected artists of our time.