Last week, I had the pleasure of talking to Kurt Benjamin, who has organized a very special project:

Band From TV, a celebrity-based rock group, whose mission it is to raise money for several worthwhile charities. Band members include Greg Grunberg and Adrian Pasdar from NBC’s Heroes, James Denton from ABC’s Desperate Housewives, Hugh Laurie from FOX’s House, Bonnie Somerville from Cashmere Mafia and Bob Guiney, who was on The Bachelor. Rounding out the band are several performers who’ve worked with some of the biggest names in rock, soul and pop.

I’ve picked up a copy of the CD myself, which also comes with a very well-produced concert DVD, and even though I usually like cover albums to feature some non-standard cover choices, for Band From TV, the choices they made are perfect for the audience they’re reaching. They’re more of a “good time rock ‘n’ roll” band than a band that’s out to prove their prowess with covers of obscure Tom Waits’ tracks. The CD is excellent, and the concert DVD does a great job of showcasing the artists individually during their solos to the point that you feel like you’re there.

I’m working on scheduling an interview with Greg Grunberg for January, as he got all of his musically-inclined fellow actors together for this project. You know him as Matt Parkman, the mind-reader on Heroes, or as I first remember seeing him, as FBI agent Weiss on Alias. He was also the pilot of the ill-fated Oceanic flight on Lost.

I highly recommend you pick up a copy – even if you’re not a fan of of any of the TV shows represented (and who’s not a fan of at least one of the shows mentioned?). The cause is great, and actors or not, these folks are terrific musicians. Hugh Laurie’s “Will It Go ‘Round In Circles” is almost worth the price of admission by itself.