Vince GUARALDI - With The San Francisco Boys Chorus 2005

Vince GUARALDI - With The San Francisco Boys Chorus 2005

Jazz

Here it is: the one you've been looking for. Vince Guaraldi with the San Francisco Boys Chorus. Vince recorded this album in 1968 and released it on his own D&D label. Only a limited number of LPs were manufactured back in the day, and distribution was so sparse that the album didn't get much exposure outside of Northern California. The LP slowly fell into obscurity and became known as a prized must-have by avid Vince Guaraldi collectors. The recording is a great mix of classic Guaraldi instrumentals and vocal arrangements featuring the San Francisco Boys Chorus. Because Vince Guaraldi with the San Francisco Boys Chorus is the last of the jazz pianist's original LPs to make the transition to CD, this re-issue is a landmark event for jazz fans in general, and followers of "Dr. Funk" in particular.
**
In the late 1960s, during an explosion of creative output that included scores for new Peanuts animated TV specials, a simpatico musical partnership with guitarist Bola Sete, and frequent live club dates in Northern California's greater San Francisco area, jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi somehow found time to start his own record label.
Whatever the hope and promise with which he began this undertaking - he even named the label D&D, after his children David and Dia - the cold reality must have been disappointing. Guaraldi released only one album on D&D Records, Vince Guaraldi with the San Francisco Boys Chorus, which because of extremely limited distribution was born obscure and became a collector's Holy Grail as the subsequent decades passed.
Most fans didn't even realize they should be looking for it.
Now, thanks to the tireless dedication of Vince's son, David, this album is now been re-issued Vince Guaraldi with the San Francisco Boys Chorus will make its CD debut.
The album's importance, as an essential portion of Vince Guaraldi's oeuvre, cannot be overstated. Self-produced albums were a far greater undertaking, in the vinyl age - in terms of time, effort and expenses - than the comparative ease with which CDs can be made in the 21st century. No doubt Guaraldi hungered for the greater creative control, having recently abandoned his long association with Fantasy Records (and his three-album run with Warners was still a few years in the future). But even though the music itself represents top-notch Guaraldi - he went first-class with the elements most easily under his control, working with numerous sidemen with whom he had grown comfortable over the years, and he secured scholarly liner notes from longtime admirer and San Francisco-based jazz critic Ralph Gleason - getting the album heard was another matter.
Outside his home turf in Northern California, Guaraldi still lacked the name-brand identification that one would have expected for the composer of Cast Your Fate to the Wind and half a dozen Peanuts TV shows. Singles delivered to willing radio DJs were the only means of exposure - no Internet, remember - and Guaraldi must have regarded the result a failure, because he never released another album on the D&D label.
Still, the music endures. Five of this album's original eight tracks - Monterey, My Little Drum, Newport Theme, Spice Island Theme and Theme to Grace - are Guaraldi compositions. The three remaining songs are covers of The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby, which Guaraldi frequently played during his club appearances; Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind, which loses some of its melancholia in this breezy rendition; and Richard Boyell's droll little instrumental, Think Drink.
This CD re-issue also features two bonus tracks an alternate version of Newport Theme and a lively rendition of Peppermint Patty, which was hidden on the B side of one of the two singles D&D Records pressed to promote this album ... even though this Peanuts song did not appear on the album itself. Aside from Guaraldi's keyboard work and the vocals of the San Francisco Boys Chorus, the various recording sessions utilized the talents of guitarist Eddie Duran, three bass players (Tom Beeson, Kelly Bryan and Roland Haynes) and two drummers (Lee Charlton, John Rae).

Because Vince Guaraldi with the San Francisco Boys Chorus is the last of the jazz pianist's original LPs to make the transition to CD, this re-issue is a landmark event for jazz fans in general, and followers of Dr. Funk in particular. ”
**
Eddie Duran- (Guitar),
Vince Guaraldi- (Piano),
Kelly Bryan- (Bass),
Lee Charlton- (Drums),
Roland Haynes- (Bass),
John Rae- (Drums),
and
San Francisco Boys Chorus.
**
01. Blowin' In The Wind (3:23)
02. Think Drink (2:53)
03. Theme To Grace (3:31)
04. Spice Island Theme (2:51)
05. Monterey (3:06)
06. Eleanor Rigby (3:44)
07. My Little Drum (3:58)
08. Newport Theme (4:23)
09. Peppermint Patty (2:25)
10. Newport Theme (Alternative Take) (3:55)
**

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Vince GUARALDI - Oaxaca 2004

Vince GUARALDI - Oaxaca 2004

Jazz

Dr. Funk may seems like an odd nickname for Vince Guaraldi, most known for composing the music for the Peanuts specials, yet this is how he was known by his peers. While there are certainly others more deserving of the moniker, this new reissue will shed some light as to how he got it. For in the latter part of his career Guaraldi spent time fronting a jazz-rock band in addition to his recurring gig writing music for cartoons. Largely giving up the piano for the Hammond B-3 and the Fender Rhodes, he gathered together a group more interested in sustaining a funky groove than developing any novel improvisation; Oaxaca could be called In A Silent Way, Charlie Brown. These recordings are previously unreleased and were recorded in 1971.
Powered by a rhythm section well versed in providing a driving rock beat, Guaraldi and multi-instrumentalist Vince Denham tear through a selection of rock tunes. Armed with an arsenal of electronic devices, they turn You Can't Always Get What You Want into a ferocious squall, yet display a gentler touch on Something. It's a testament to Guaraldi's abilities as a musician that all this works as well as it does, and his treatments of these relatively new songs show a skill at interpretation that was never quite apparent in his early days as a pianist dealing with standards. It should come as no surprise that Guaraldi is still capable of crafting amazingly catchy melodies, and the title track is one of his finest.
Although many will prefer the whimsical musicality of Guaraldi's Peanuts work, Oaxaca makes the claim that Guaraldi could work successfully in a variety of settings. David Guaraldi is dedicated to getting his father's unreleased work into circulation, starting with last years' release of The Charlie Brown Suite. Oaxaca is an interesting second choice, but no doubt Guaraldi's fans, who are probably the main target for this reissue, will have this to tide them over until Alma-Ville gets reiussed. ”
By David Rickert.
**
Vince Guaraldi- Piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3, Clavinet
Mike Clark- Drums
Koji Kataoka- Bass
Vince Denham- Saxophone, Flute
**
01. Charlie Brown Blues (5:00)
02. Oaxaca (3:10)
03. We've Only Just Begun (4:54)
04. You Can't Always Get What You Want (16:13)
05. Something (3:55)
06. You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown (2:35)
07. Watch What Happens (5:40)
08. You Never Give Me Your Money (6:53)
09. Oaxaca (Alternate Take) (4:47)
**
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Vince GUARALDI And Bola SETE - From All Sides 1964

Vince GUARALDI And Bola SETE - From All Sides 1964

Jazz

Given Vince Guaraldi's affinity for Brazilian music, this pairing with Brazilian guitarist Bola Sete from the early '60s seems like a natural. On From All Sides, fans of the Peanuts TV specials will recognize Guaraldi's trademark pianistic style, with "Menino Pequeno da Bateria" being essentially the same tune used as "My Little Drum" on A Charlie Brown Christmas. The melody of "Ginza Samba" will also be familiar to the Charlie Brown TV audience. Sete contributes a pair of originals, with "Mambeando" being especially enjoyable. The group offers a tasty reading of "The Girl from Ipanema," and places "A Taste of Honey" into an interesting Latin groove. The interaction between the two principals here is generally quite good, though Sete's solo appears to be out of kilter rhythmically with Guaraldi's trio on "Menino Pequeno." That minor complaint aside, this is an enjoyable, easygoing outing.
By Jim Newsom.
**
Guaraldi and Sete team up again for another attractive, mostly bossa nova session, this time with a softer-focused rhythm section, shorter tracks, and more Guaraldi tunes (4) on the menu than before. Guaraldi's quasi-Oriental "Ginza" is resurrected and retooled, "The Girl From Ipanema" and "A Taste Of Honey" are dutifully covered, and the most amusing track is Vince's tongue-in-cheek, slightly rock-ish cha-cha "The Ballad Of Pancho Villa." Although Guaraldi was in somewhat fresher form in his other albums with Sete, this one won't disappoint his fans
By Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide.

Vince Guaraldi- (Piano);
Bola Sete- (Guitar);
Fred Marshall, Monty Budwig- (Bass);
Jerry Granelli, Nick Martinez- (Drums).
**
01.Choro
02.Menino Pequeno Da Bateria
03.Ginza Samba
04.The Girl From Ipanema
05.A Taste Of Honey
06.Ballad Of Pancho Villa
07.Little Fishes
08.Mambeando
**
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Vince GUARALDI - Oh Good Grief 1968

Vince GUARALDI - Oh Good Grief 1968

Jazz

Oh, Good Grief! isn't Vince Guaraldi's classic piano-trio recordings of his "Peanuts" favorites--for those, try the soundtrack to A Boy Named Charlie Brown. But it is a 1968 "re-imagining" of several of those favorites with Guaraldi on both piano and electric harpsichord, and Eddie Duran's electric guitar joining Carl Burnett's drums and Stanley Gilbert's bass. The sound is unfamiliar but the groove is unmistakably Guaraldi's, and it'll grow on you after your ear adjusts. For purists, the "Great Pumpkin Waltz" and "Rain, Rain Go Away" are a return to Guaraldi's trademark acoustic lyricism. It's only 28 minutes, unfortunately.
By David Horiuchi.
**
In his first album for Warner Bros., Vince Guaraldi serves up another delightful, though pitifully short (27 minutes) helping of his themes for the Peanuts TV specials. By this time, like several other pianists, Guaraldi was actively exploring the new sonic horizons offered by electronic keyboards, and so he superimposes layers of electric harpsichord on most of these tracks. Some of the old sardonic spontaneity goes over the side, replaced by an overloaded gee-whiz atmosphere that sometimes gets in the way of the quartet's willingness to swing. But the tunes are marvelous, and since so little of Guaraldi's vast Peanuts output was ever made available, every millisecond of these jazz waltzes, bossa novas and soulful ruminations on Charlie Brown's world becomes cherishable.
By Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide.
**
Eddie Duran- Guitar
Vince Guaraldi- Piano, Electric Harpsichord
Carl Burnette- Drums
Stanley Gilbert- Bass
**
A1 Linus and Lucy   2:53
A2 You're In Love, Charlie Brown  3:03
A3 Peppermint Patty   2:34
A4 Great Pumpkin Waltz   3:31

B1 It's Your Dog, Charlie Brown  3:04
B2 Oh, Good Grief!   2:33
B3 Red Baron   4:43
B4 Rain, Rain Go Away   4:59
**
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Vince GUARALDI Trio - A Boy Named Charlie Brown 1964

Vince GUARALDI Trio - A Boy Named Charlie Brown 1964
Label: Fantasy
Release date: 1 January 1990

Jazz

This review is from: A Boy Named Charlie Brown: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television Special (Audio CD)
Vince Guaraldi was one of the few very talented jazz musicians who could span the divide between so-called pop and serious jazz. I think when a musician can touch the neophyte and the afficianado alike the music is something special. "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" is one of those very hip jazz albums that fortunately found its way to the mass market's ears. The swinging good feeling of the tune "Linus and Lucy" is so infectious you can't help but smile. No jazz missionary should leave home without this CD!
By  Emmett T. McQueen.
**         
By any standard, "Linus and Lucy" is a great song. Anyone over the age of seven is familiar with the melody, a catchy tune instantly identifiable with the Peanuts gang. It also put Vince Guaraldi, an artist who might otherwise have been a one-hit wonder with "Cast Your Fate To the Wind" and relegated to the minor leagues, on the map.

Guaraldi's reputation rests almost entirely on the music he created for the Peanuts television specials, but it's magnificent work that deserves to be recognized as such. Many are familiar with the music from It's A Charlie Brown Christmas , which almost entirely consisted of jazzed up versions of Christmas classics. For this 1964 recording (which was actually the first), Guaraldi composed all the music himself. In addition to "Linus and Lucy," there are a bunch of enchanting melodies that are filled with childish whimsy and bouncy swing. All are immediately catchy, mainly because they have the virtue of bearing a resemblance to other songs you've heard before, but can't quite place.

Since television scoring is designed to stick in the background and play second fiddle to the images, it's a testament to Guaraldi's art that he can craft songs that stand quite well separated from the images. It's not a children's album, but rather a top-notch series of breezy jazz treatments. A Boy Named Charlie Brown is arguably the best work that Guaraldi ever did, and an extra recording of "Fly Me To the Moon" demonstrates why he never could have established his reputation solely as an interpreter of standards; it lacks the punch of the previous material.

While A Boy Named Charlie Brown lacks a truly brilliant song like "Christmas Time Is Here," it nevertheless is a great album of piano jazz that proves when given a concept Guaraldi was a fine composer. The best improviser on the Peanuts specials may be the trombone player who does the voice of the teacher, but Guaraldi can lay claim to creating the material that gave them their spirit.
By David Rickert. AJJ.
**
Vince Guaraldi- Piano
Monty Budwig- Bass
Colin Bailey- Drums
**
01. Oh, Good Grief [2:24]
02. Pebble Beach [2:51]
03. Happiness Is [3:43]
04. Schroeder [1:54]
05. Charlie Brown Theme [4:25]
06. Linus And Lucy [3:07]
07. Blue Charlie Brown [7:30]
08. Baseball Theme [3:15]
09. Freda (With The Naturally Curly Hair) [4:34]
10. Fly Me To The Moon [8:55]
**
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Vince Guaraldi Trio - Jazz Impressions Of Black Orpheus 1962

Vince Guaraldi Trio - Jazz Impressions Of Black Orpheus 1962
Label: Fantasy / DCC
Audio Cd: 1995


Jazz

Among the early '60s wave of American jazzmen entranced by Brazilian music, none proved more ebullient than pianist Vince Guaraldi, whose homage to a 1959 film retelling the Orpheus myth as an underclass Rio de Janeiro romance proved a sleeper hit. With Guaraldi's fleet, always rhythmic piano driving these concise trio settings, Black Orpheus remains a seductive delight, probing the then-exotic push and pull of samba with glee, but leaving ample room for more contemplative ballads that remain deeply affecting more than three decades after the album's release. Luis Bonfa's and Antonio Carlos Jobim's music was the seed for the project, yielding a percolating "Samba de Orpheus" and the haunting ballad, "Manha de Carnaval," but the album's best-known performance remains Guaraldi's own wistful and swinging "Cast Your Fate to the Wind." A surprise single hit in 1965, the song would later receive a more expansive pop cover, but it's Guaraldi's original that remains the superior performance, a wordless romantic reverie that speaks volumes in Guaraldi's tender verses, muscular choruses, and romping bridge.
By Sam Sutherland.
**
Monty Budwig- Bass
Colin Bailey- Drums
Vince Guaraldi- Piano
**
01. Samba De Orfeo    5.38
02. Manha de Carnaval (Morning Of The Carnival)    5.48
03. O Nosso Amor (Our Love)   4.53
04. Generique - A Felicidade (The Happiness)    4.45
05. Cast Your Fate To The Wind   3.05
06. Moon River   5.18
07. Alma-Ville   4.57
08. Since I Fell For You   4.20
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