By Jeeves (2001 American Premiere Recording) [Cast Recording]

Alan Ayckbourn, Andrew Lloyd Webber | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 16, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: Decca U.S.
• ASIN: B00005QK57
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #306,574 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Wooster Will Entertain You - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis

2. Travel Hopefully - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Emily Loesser

3. That Was Nearly Us - Donna Lynne Champlin/John Scherer

4. Love's Maze - Emily Loesser/John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Donna Lynne Champlin/James Kall/Ian Knauer...

5. The Hallo Song - John Scherer/Steve Wilson/James Kall

6. Entr'acte - Andrew Lloyd Webber

7. By Jeeves - John Scherer/Don Stephenson/James Kall

8. When Love Arrives - John Scherer/Becky Watson

9. What Have you Got To Say, Jeeves! - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis

10. Half A Moment - Ian Knauer/Emily Loesser Donny Lynne

11. It's A Pig! - Donny Lynne Champlin/Becky Watson/John Scherer/Heath Lamberts/James Kall

12. Banjo Boy - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Donna Lynne Champlin/James Kall/Ian Knauer/Emily Loesser...

13. Wizard Rainbow Banjo Mix - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Donna Lynne Champlin/James Kall/Ian Knauer/Emily Loesser...

14. Playout - Andrew Lloyd Webber

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Filled Melodic Musical, October 26, 2001

By 

Jim Jr (Buffalo, NY United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: By Jeeves (2001 American Premiere Recording) (Audio CD)

"By Jeeves" is a rewrite of Andrew Lloyd Webber big failure, "Jeeves" written years ago. It has been produced in various rewritten forms ever since. This latest version is one that began at the Goodspeed Opera House and has been subsequently produced at other locations. In all the American productions, the pivotal role of Bertie Wooster has been played by the extremely talented John Scherer. Listening to the American Premier recording featuring Mr. Scheerer, it is obvious why he claimes the role as his own. He is wonderful in a performance worthy of a Tony award.

This is not the typical Andrew Lloyd Webber sung through or heavy on musical numbers show. It is a very funny adaptation of the P. G. Wodehouse stories by the prolific British dramatist Alan Ackbourn (sometimes called the British Neal Simon). The numbers are all wonderful melodic and unforgettable. I find myself humming the tumes as I'm driving. They simply stick in your mind. The score contains one of Mr. Lloyd Webber's loveliest love songs, "Half A Moment" that has been featured on a number of albums with collections of his songs.

There are two "By Jeeves" recordings available at present. The British version has a great deal of dialogue linking the songs in a attempt at trying to tell the complicated story. They become boring to listen to after the first couple listenings. These dialogues are omited from the American recording letting the listener concentrate on the great songs. I much prefer the American recording for this reason and for the star making performance of John Scherer. John is really terrific as Bertie Wooster with a voice perfect for the songs plus excellent interpertations of the lyrics from touching to very funny.(...)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it, March 8, 2002

By 

Career Counselor - See all my reviews

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This review is from: By Jeeves (2001 American Premiere Recording) (Audio CD)

This is a wonderful show that was bludgeoned by many critics. As a friend said, the reviews were like hitting a butterfly with a sledge hammer. It is a light, silly, frothy comedy. But it is also clever, witty, delightful, and great fun to see (I saw one of the last US performances before it closed). I was particularly taken with the music and songs which are tuney (as LLoyd-Webber can sometimes NOT be) bright and well performed. I was humming the songs as I walked out, as I was at Evita. Great fun.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very different Andrew Lloyd Webber-and thats a good thing!, February 25, 2005

By 

R. Cowan (Portland OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: By Jeeves (2001 American Premiere Recording) (Audio CD)

This is my first on-line review of anything. I am writing because I think this show deserves a HUGE loyal following. Let me be the fist to point out that I am not a huge fan of Lloyd Webber's shows. I don't like JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, hate JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, love EVITA, am ambivalent about CATS and STARLIGHT EXPRESS, was bored by ASPECTS OF LOVE and SUNSET BOULEVARD, like PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, laughed at WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND and have yet to hear THE BEAUTIFUL GAME or WOMAN IN WHITE. But I absolutely adore BY JEEVES.

I was first introduced to the recording of this show by the 1996 London CD, which encapsulated the show with a clever narration by Jeeves and Bertie which used bits of the actual dialogue from the show. When I heard selections from the Broadway recording, I was impressed by many of the performances, most of which I knew had benefitted greatly from previous performers' onstage "moments." Perhaps the thing that sold me on the US recording came from the song "That Was Nearly Us," when Honoria, after being warned by Bertie of an upcoming "humpback bridge," actually articulates the bump as she sings...very funny stuff and quite in character with the show. All the voices are superior on the US recording...especially John Scherer as Bertie.

I must point out that, as a completist myself, I must own both the London and US recordings of this show, as I love some of the performances on the aforementioned "narrated" recording. There is a third recording of the show, virtually identical to the London recording, but possessing a different opening number, "The Code of the Woosters," which was replaced on the London and US recordings with "Wooster Will Entertain You." As I said, I am a completist, and I must have all three...all four, if they ever release the 1975 recording of JEEVES, the forerunner to this show.

Additional bonuses to the Broadway recording are the Entr'acte, some playoff music at the end, and an instrumental break in the middle of "It's A Pig!" The "banjoless" solos in "Banjo Boy" are very different than the mutterings on the London recording, and very funny to visualize.

Give this recording a try!

Wooster WILL entertain you!
You can be sure of that!
He'll prevail; should he fail,
Bertie will eat his eat-
With bags of mustard!