It seemed inevitable: It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues, one of Broadway's most vocal musicals, will indeed have a cast album.

In order to capture the mercurial, living essence of the show's jazz and blues performances, however, the album will be recorded live in front of an audience at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.

MCA Records, in association with Spencer Proffer, will produce and distribute the cast album, to be recorded Aug. 26 and 27. Audience reaction will be part of the final product. Release date is expected to be November.

The cast being captured on disc is the original Broadway company, including Tony Award nominated Ron Taylor, who missed two months of show when he suffered a mild stroke in June. He return to the show Aug. 24.

The company also includes "Mississippi" Charles Bevel, Gretha Boston (who won a Tony Award for Show Boat), Carter Calvert, Eloise Laws, Gregory Porter and Dan Wheetman. The musical, which was nominated for 1999 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book and Best Featured Actress (Boston) and Featured Actor (Taylor), was born and nurtured in regional theatres, including the Denver Center Theatre Company (where it began) and Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Crossroads Theatre Company and San Diego Repertory Theatre, Crossroads Theatre Company. It played Off Broadway's New Victory Theatre before moving to the Beaumont at Lincoln Center.