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Vince Guaraldi

By Derrick Bang

Like most so-called overnight successes, Vincent Anthony Guaraldi—who forever described himself as "a reformed boogie-woogie piano player"—worked hard for his big break.

The man eventually dubbed "Dr. Funk" by his compatriots was born in San Francisco on July 17, 1928; he graduated from Lincoln High School and then San Francisco State College. Guaraldi began performing while in college, haunting sessions at the Black Hawk and Jackson's Nook, sometimes with the Chubby Jackson / Bill Harris band, other times in combos with Sonny Criss and Bill Harris. He played weddings, high school concerts, and countless other small-potatoes gigs.

His first serious booking came at the Black Hawk, when he worked as an intermission pianist ... filling in for the legendary Art Tatum. "It was more than scary", Guaraldi later recalled. "I came close to giving up the instrument, and I wouldn't have been the first after working with Tatum". Guaraldi's first recorded work can be heard on "Vibratharpe", a 1953 release by the Cal Tjader. Guaraldi then avoided studios for the next few years, preferring to further hone his talents in the often unforgiving atmosphere of San Francisco's beatnik club scene. In 1955 he put together his own trio — longtime friend Eddie Duran on guitar, Dean Reilly on bass — and tackled North Beach's bohemian hungry i club. He also returned to studio work that year, making his recorded debut as group leader, although with different personnel: John Markham (drums), Eugene Wright (bass) and Jerry Dodgion (alto sax). What soon came to be recognized as the "Guaraldi sound", however, resulted from several recording sessions with his hungry i buddies. The original Vince Guaraldi Trio, with Duran and Reilly, can be heard on two releases: "The Vince Guaraldi Trio" (1956) and "A Flower is a Lonesome Thing" (1957)

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Radio & Podcasts

Ray Gallon, Larry Young, Rachel Eckroth & Vince Guaraldi

Read "Ray Gallon, Larry Young, Rachel Eckroth & Vince Guaraldi" reviewed by Joe Dimino


We are kicking off the 2023 holiday season and the 830th Episode of Neon Jazz in style with Vince Guaraldi leading the march of a never-before-released Charle Brown Thanksgiving. From there, we get into a host of tasty jazz from Rachel Eckroth, Janet Evra and Maria Grapsa. We also get some perennial music from heavyweights Petros Klampanis, Ray Gallon and Mike DiRubbo. The father-son duo of John and David Sneider also get into the mix with their debut album Sneid ...

15
Album Review

Vince Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Read "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" reviewed by James Aren


Just in time for Thanksgiving, the people at Lee Mendelson films are serving up a fresh take on some old favorites. The soundtrack to a A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving has been released for the first time, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the special. Vince Guaraldi's voice is the first sound on the album. “Okay, well, did ya get that last one? This is cue one," as it swings into “Charlie Brown Blues." It is a good introduction ...

6
Album Review

Vince Guaraldi: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Music from the Soundtrack

Read "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Music from the Soundtrack" reviewed by Mark Sullivan


The 2018 release of this 1966 animated television special soundtrack made the music available for the first time. Pianist/composer Vince Guaraldi led a sextet (rather than his usual trio), resulting in richer-sounding, more complex arrangements. This is arguably the best expression of classic Peanuts music. But since the session tapes could not be found, the producers were forced to use the film soundtrack as the audio source. So, the recording quality was less than optimal, and some cues included sound ...

12
Book Review

Vince Guaraldi at the Piano

Read "Vince Guaraldi at the Piano" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


Vince Guaraldi at the Piano Derrick Bang 354 pages ISBN: # 978-078645902-5 McFarland & Company, Inc, 2012 Soon after autumn leaves fall, promos hit the airwaves for the various Charlie Brown Holiday specials. Those timeless animations are lathered up with marvelously hip jazz—that of pianist Vince Guaraldi. While umbilical tied to that franchise, Guaraldi possesses an enormously robust repertoire and a broad-ranging performance career about which many jazz fans know little. That legacy is ...

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History of Jazz

Vince Guaraldi’s Christmas Sauce: Adding Spice to Charlie Brown Vanilla

Read "Vince Guaraldi’s Christmas Sauce: Adding Spice to Charlie Brown Vanilla" reviewed by Arthur R George


It's not simply that pianist Vince Guaraldi slipped jazz past the unsuspecting in composing A Charlie Brown Christmas, the evergreen “Peanuts" animation and soundtrack that has become inescapably part of the holiday. First broadcast in 1965, going on to six decades ago, A Charlie Brown Christmas is a tradition unto itself. It returns to television through PBS and PBS Kids on the evening of Sunday, December 19. Some who can't wait, or want to watch and listen again and again, ...

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Multiple Reviews

Vince Guaraldi’s Classic Peanuts Soundtrack Music Reissued on LP

Read "Vince Guaraldi’s Classic Peanuts Soundtrack Music Reissued on LP" reviewed by Mark Sullivan


When television producer Lee Mendelson heard jazz pianist/composer Vince Guaraldi's hit single “Cast Your Fate to the Wind" on his car radio, he thought he had found the right composer for the soundtrack to the documentary on Charles Schultz's cartoon series Peanuts that he was working on. Guaraldi indeed turned out to be the perfect man for the job, eventually creating original holiday standards in the process, as well as some of the most popular jazz music ever recorded.

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Top Ten List

Best Jazz Christmas Songs Of All-Time

Read "Best Jazz Christmas Songs Of All-Time" reviewed by Ken Hohman


While moldy Christmas songs and great jazz seem as compatible as egg nog and Tanqueray, there have been instances where the planets have aligned to create songs that display the best of both genres. Ten instances, to be exact, and you'll find them below. Do you agree? Then post your holiday toast to my list. Don't agree? Post the all-time best Christmas jazz songs of your choice in the comments section below. I will save a special lump of coal ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Vince Guaraldi's birthday today!

By Derrick Bang Like most so-called overnight successes, Vincent Anthony Guaraldi—who forever described himself as “a reformed boogie-woogie pianist"—worked hard for his big break. The man eventually dubbed “Dr. Funk" by his compatriots was born in San Francisco on July 17, 1928; he graduated from Lincoln High School and then San Francisco State College. Guaraldi began performing while in college, haunting sessions at the Black Hawk and Jackson's Nook, sometimes with ...

TV / Film

Minidoc: Vince Guaraldi in the Studio

Minidoc: Vince Guaraldi in the Studio

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Vince Guaraldi is best known as the jazz pianist accompanying A Charlie Brown Christmas and other TV's adaptations of the Peanuts comic strip. But Guaraldi was well established before those gentle 1960s holiday specials as a member of Cal Tjader's groups and the leader of his own superb trio. His biggest hit was Cast Your Fate to the Wind, the flip side to Samba de Orpheus, from his 1962 album Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus. The hit won a Grammy for ...

1

Recording

Craft Recordings Announces Definitive, Bonus-Filled Edition Of Vince Guaraldi's Original Soundtrack Recording 'It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'

Craft Recordings Announces Definitive, Bonus-Filled Edition Of Vince Guaraldi's Original Soundtrack Recording 'It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'

Source: Chummy Press

Available on CD, digital, and a variety of vinyl formats including a 45-RPM pressing, a translucent orange pumpkin-shaped disc, and more Craft Recordings proudly announces the definitive edition of Vince Guaraldi’s evocative soundtrack to the 1966 animated television special, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, from Charles M. Schulz, creator of the PEANUTS comic strip, and Lee Mendelson Film Productions. Remastered from newly discovered analog session reels, the album features seven previously unreleased alternate takes—all of which offer fascinating insight ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Vince Guaraldi's birthday today!

By Derrick Bang Like most so-called overnight successes, Vincent Anthony Guaraldi—who forever described himself as “a reformed boogie-woogie pianist"—worked hard for his big break. The man eventually dubbed “Dr. Funk" by his compatriots was born in San Francisco on July 17, 1928; he graduated from Lincoln High School and then San Francisco State College. Guaraldi began performing while in college, haunting sessions at the Black Hawk and Jackson's Nook, sometimes with ...

3

Recording

Collectible Silver Foil Edition Of Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas Coming To Vinyl This Holiday Season

Collectible Silver Foil Edition Of Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas Coming To Vinyl This Holiday Season

Source: All About Jazz

Ahead of the 2021 holiday season, Craft Recordings is pleased to announce a special vinyl edition of A Charlie Brown Christmas—Vince Guaraldi Trio’s enduring soundtrack to the 1965 PEANUTS animated special. This collectible release reimagines the album’s classic jacket, wrapping it in an elegant silver foil. The embossed PEANUTS characters on the cover, meanwhile, have never been more striking as they gather around the Christmas Tree. Available for pre-order today, this limited-edition pressing hits stores on October 1st, while a ...

2

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Vince Guaraldi's birthday today!

By Derrick Bang Like most so-called overnight successes, Vincent Anthony Guaraldi—who forever described himself as “a reformed boogie-woogie pianist"—worked hard for his big break. The man eventually dubbed “Dr. Funk" by his compatriots was born in San Francisco on July 17, 1928; he graduated from Lincoln High School and then San Francisco State College. Guaraldi began performing while in college, haunting sessions at the Black Hawk and Jackson's Nook, sometimes with ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Vince Guaraldi's birthday today!

By Derrick Bang Like most so-called overnight successes, Vincent Anthony Guaraldi—who forever described himself as “a reformed boogie-woogie pianist"—worked hard for his big break. The man eventually dubbed “Dr. Funk" by his compatriots was born in San Francisco on July 17, 1928; he graduated from Lincoln High School and then San Francisco State College. Guaraldi began performing while in college, haunting sessions at the Black Hawk and Jackson's Nook, sometimes with ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Vince Guaraldi's birthday today!

By Derrick Bang Like most so-called overnight successes, Vincent Anthony Guaraldi—who forever described himself as “a reformed boogie-woogie pianist"—worked hard for his big break. The man eventually dubbed “Dr. Funk" by his compatriots was born in San Francisco on July 17, 1928; he graduated from Lincoln High School and then San Francisco State College. Guaraldi began performing while in college... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day widget on your ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Vince Guaraldi's birthday today!

By Derrick Bang Like most so-called overnight successes, Vincent Anthony Guaraldi—who forever described himself as “a reformed boogie-woogie pianist"—worked hard for his big break. The man eventually dubbed “Dr. Funk" by his compatriots was born in San Francisco on July 17, 1928; he graduated from Lincoln High School and then San Francisco State College. Guaraldi began performing while in college... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day widget on your ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vince Guaraldi

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Vince Guaraldi's birthday today!

By Derrick Bang Like most so-called overnight successes, Vincent Anthony Guaraldi—who forever described himself as “a reformed boogie-woogie pianist"—worked hard for his big break. The man eventually dubbed “Dr. Funk" by his compatriots was born in San Francisco on July 17, 1928; he graduated from Lincoln High School and then San Francisco State College. Guaraldi began performing while in college... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day widget on your ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

A Charlie Brown...

Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc.
2023

buy

It's the Great...

Craft Recordings
2022

buy

A Charlie Brown...

Craft Recordings
2021

buy

It's the Great...

Craft Recordings
2018

buy

A Charlie Brown...

Fantasy Jazz
2015

buy

Little Birdie

From: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
By Vince Guaraldi

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