Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television Special
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Free Music Notes for A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television Special
Free Music Review: Five cents, please . . .
Hit: 5 Stars
How well remembered and how passionately viewed would this music be without its connection to Charlie Brown and the rest of Charles Schultz' Peanuts gang? For me, this is absolutely, bar none, the pinnacle of soundtracks, it's integration musically with the show, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is so perfectly realized, so absolute, you can't picture one without the other. The music by Vince Guaraldi, written and played, is just lovely on its own, yet it resonates so much deeper because it's tied to the fundamental goodness, spiritual questing and mirth that made this half-hour Christmas special way back in, what?, 1965 so much a part of our fabric. I remember watching A Charlie Brown Christmas one year -- can't remember if it was on CBS or ABC and they clipped off the credits at the end to get to the next commercial. I remember another time that they shrunk the rolling credits into half the screen while they ran some kind of promo on the other half. The networks should never forget that this, and the Wizard of Oz, and It's A Wonderful Life and a very, very, few other shows have risen to the level of being a part of America's self-definition. This is the best of us, people believe. They should be treated matter-of-factly but with great reverence. You can run a Dolly Madison commercial or two during A Charlie Brown Christmas, but you better show every single shred of it. Guaraldi's music and empathy helped the show reach that iconic level -- The Wizard of Oz music by Arlen and Harburg did the same. Plainly put, something magical has occurred here and I wouldn't be surprised if families, God willing, are watching and listening to A Charlie Brown Christmas two hundreds years from now.Free Music Review: A Great Stocking Stuffer
Hit: 5 Stars
This is one Christmas CD you should have in your collection! If you already have it, give it to someone special! Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack to the 1965 classic TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas helped incorporate the style of music that became known with Charlie Brown specials (he would do several more soundtracks for Charlie Brown TV specials and their 1st movie until his untimely death in 1977).
This is more than just a soundtrack, as there are many pieces not featured in the special ("My Little Drum", a variation of The Little Drummer Boy, "The Christmas Song", "Greensleeves", and "What Child Is This").
Then of course come the songs from tne special. There's the original compositions "Christmastime Is Here", which opens the special, "Linus and Lucy", which would be featured in many of the other Charlie Brown specials for years, and "Christmas Is Coming" (a bossa nova number, which sounds a little like Richie Valens' "La Bamba"). Of course, you have the traditional Christmas carols included like "O Tanenbaum" (if you close your eyes, you can almost picture Charlie Brown and Linus shopping for the perfect Christmas tree!) and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" (which closes the TV special. Sorry, you don't get the anticlimactic "MERRY CHRISTMAS, CHARLIE BROWN!".). Then there's the ode to Schroeder's favorite all-time composer, Beethoven, who as Lucy points out "never got his picture on a bubble gum card" with "Fur Elise" (you can almost picture Schroeder tickling the ivories as you hear this!).
Free Music Review: still magical
Hit: 5 Stars
here is the soundtrack to a tv show that was never supposed to happen, and yet, 40 years out, the miracle of a charlie brown christmas keeps unfolding, kind of like the holiday itself. back in 1964, no tv exec thought a cartoon with actual kids doing voices for kid characters would work. PEANUTS was still just a comic strip, after all. the producer, bill melendez disagreed, and pushed on with no budget and no support, creating what stands as an animated show with some of the worst animation ever that completely captured the magic of a child's christmas, a discovery of what christmas is all about, and something that has become an heirloom for generations of christmas celebrations.
mr. melendez and charles schulz seemed to figure they had nothing to lose, so they came up with a uinque soundtrack for the special--christmas via jazz trio. vince guaraldi recorded 40 minutes worth of tunes for the thirty minute show, meaning there are some great extras here--"the christmas song" and "greensleeves" for instance. the trio plays california cool with just a hint of bossa nova, adding flavor to songs that are well-worn standards, making them fresh and new. the originals like "skating" and, of course, the quintessential "linus and lucy" swing hard and deep. i have always loved the blues break in the middle of "l and l". the music fits perfectly with a pint sized beethoven on the bench, backed by a beagle who is everything but.
this is a wondrous album for a wondrous show, a miracle that never should have happened, but then isn't that true of all miracles?
Free Music Review: A Classic Jazz Sound Track
Hit: 5 Stars
Every year, the day after Thanksgiving, the first disc I reach for out of the dozen or so holiday recordings in my CD collection is the original sound track recording of "A Charlie Brown Christmas".Throughout the next month and a half the Vince Guaraldi Trio's holiday ode to Charlie & his pals is usually played at the very least, every other night. Why the need for this ritual? Two reasons come to mind.One, the music to this television classic has forever been etched into my brain from repeated viewings that go back to the mid 1960's (lets date ourselves!).Two, to put it mildly, this is just darn good West coast influenced jazz!The band is tight and the songs are great. Everything from the piano rendition of "O Tannebaum" to the version of "Greensleeves" at the very end are wonderful.My personal favorites are the two versions of "Christmas Time is Here" (vocal & instrumental)which have gone on to become holiday classics (also I would recommend Diana Krall's version, which can be found on other xmas compilations).And we couldn't end a discussion of this album without mentioning Guaraldi's self penned, "Linus and Lucy". This enthusiastic little jazz tune has gone on to become Charlie Brown's famous theme song.It's one of those tunes that just stays in your head. Even now I can hear that crazy rhythm section pounding away like theres' no tommorow.Finally, for all those folks that put this music down because it's indelibly connected to a little round headed kid drawn with ink...All I can say is UGGHH!!! GOOD Grief!!! Can't you see this is great jazz/holiday CD! Buy it!Free Music Review: Proof that we need not TOTALLY grow up!
Hit: 5 Stars
I don't know of anything ever reviewed on this site which seems to have inspired so much love. What else need be said? Like a score of other reviewers, I try to watch the television broadcast each and every time it comes on. What makes Guaraldi's music so memorable is the fact that upon hearing it, time seems to slip away. I defy anyone to listen to this music and not be transported back to the first time seeing "A Charlie Brown Christmas", and (hopefully) happy childhood memories. What makes it special is, as another reviewer has noted, it has just the slightest tinge of melancholy to it. Like good ol' Charlie Brown, many have a difficult time at Christmas because of personal difficulties (like lost loved ones, or even too-high expectations for the season.) But in the end, the joys outweigh the sorrows, and hope continues to spring eternal.
Speaking more substantively, this music seems to be joyous and sad at the same time, as the best jazz can be. Guaraldi's score is gentle, cool and smooth. His fingers fly over the piano keys, and the instrumental backing to familiar Christmas carols is never overbearing, and remains the perfect compliment. I agree with another reviewer: there's really no point in trying to pick out any particular song over the others. They are all so special.
Unlike most Christmas music, this CD is one that's simply cannot be played too often during the season. If you put this on at the office during the Christmas season (or any other time), people will stop by your place and join you in a smile.