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: Guaraldi and Schultz Blend Seamlessly for the Essential Holiday Recording to Own
Hit: 5 Stars
I doubt if there has been a better match between sound and image than Vince Guaraldi's jazz lounge compositions and Charles Schultz's Peanuts characters, both instantly memorable nostalgia triggers for any self-respecting baby boomer. Far more than the current spate of holiday CDs released for sure-fire commercial profit by singers who otherwise have no affinity for the music, this disc contains a timeless quality that makes this an indispensable soundtrack to own. With his definitive version of "Cast Your Fate to the Wind", Guaraldi was already an established jazz musician by the time he recorded this album in 1965 with his trio, Monty Budwig on bass and Colin Bailey on drums.
Their relaxed playing belies their ensemble craftsmanship on established holiday classics such as "O Tannenbaum", "What Child Is This" and "The Christmas Song", and Guaraldi lends a particularly nice jazz twist to "The Little Drummer Boy" with "My Little Drum". There are the familiar non-holiday pieces, Schroeder's showpiece, "Fur Elise", as well as "Greensleeves". However, the original compositions shine brightest here - the forlorn "Christmastime is Here", the percolating "Skating" (which conjures up instant images of Snoopy gliding on the ice), "Christmas Is Coming" (where the children are rehearsing willy-nilly in the auditorium), and the Peanuts signature tune, "Linus and Lucy". This is an absolute must to own, holiday season or not.
Free Music Review: A Must for Any Christmas Collection
Hit: 5 Stars
In 1965 Vince Guaraldi wrote a jazz musical score for "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Corporate executives at CBS were dubious and almost pulled the plug on the project, as they just could not fit the concept of jazz and traditional Christmas music together. Fortunately, the show aired and the rest is history, and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" became one of the most beloved specials of all-time, and one of the reasons for its success was its wonderful jazz Christmas music.
This album is a wonderful work of musical art! As far as Chritmas albums go, it has become one of my all-time favorites. Recently I put together a custom Christmas favorites album and many cuts from this album ended up on it. All those great Christmas jazz scores from the Charlie Brown Christmas special are just snippets of the complete songs that are on this album. I figured when I bought this album that the whole album would be about 20 minutes long, but how wrong I was, as this album will entertian your ears for well over 40 minutes. The wonderfully energetic "Linus and Lucy", the soulful "Christmas Time is Here", and other equally delightful songs make this an A+ album that you will cherish and love.
Relive your childhood memories and purchase this album. I guarantee you will love it and it will become a staple of future Christmas music in your household.
Jim "Konedog" Koenig
Free Music Review: Enjoyable for all ages
Hit: 5 Stars
A Charlie Brown Christmas is a timeless album that is an excellent complement to the wonderful television special that has been shown every year since 1965. Many of the songs here were featured in the TV program with both "Christmas Time Is Here" and especially "Linus And Lucy" becoming timeless classics. "Linus And Lucy" is definitely the most famous of the Charlie Brown songs, the first to come to mind when people think of the Peanuts Gang. "Christmas Time Is Here" is featured here in both vocal and instrumental versions with the latter showing pianist Vince Guaraldi and his trio showing more extensive use of their chops. Other songs that aired on the TV special include the upbeat "Skating" and "Christmas Is Coming", a brief version of Beethoven's "Fur Elise", and "O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree)." Fans of jazz piano will love "What Child Is This" and "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)" while the Peanuts gang singing "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing" and harmonizing on "My Little Drum" will bring back back memories for adults while being enjoyable for kids getting ready for Christmas. The album closing "Greensleeves" gives Guaraldi the opportunity to let loose and is a strong track as well. Whether you love the television special, need to get some Christmas spirit, or are just a fan of piano jazz, A Charlie Brown Christmas is an essential purchase. Highly recommended.Free Music Review: A Charlie Brown Classic
Hit: 5 Stars
The half hour animated Christmas special airs almost every holiday season and it doesn't get old staying fresh year after year. Part of the strength of A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS is the soundtrack and music by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. Even without the the cartoon special, the album soundtrack can stand alone as one of the best Christmas Albums ever produced. The jazz is soothing and beautiful and every piece of music has such an aura and atmosphere of the good cheer that's intended and Vince Guaraldi's piano playing is at the forefront. The classic piece of music here is of course "Linus and Lucy" which is the most identifyable tune to everyone who has grown up watching the animated special every year. It has been used on commercials and background music for a host of projects. Rock Guitar instrumentalist, Gary Hoey even does a acid rock guitar version for the ENDLESS SUMMER II surfing movie soundtrack which is incredible. However, the other outstanding songs are "Christmas Time is Here" which has just the 'Trio' playing and then the vocal version which brings brings to mind Charles Schultz' Peanuts characters skating around on that icy pond. Then the other two outstanding instrumentals are "Skating" and "Christmas is Coming". Overall, a nostalgic, heartwarming, and great Christmas Album. A great companion piece equal to the animated short.Free Music Review: It gives me good tears.
Hit: 5 Stars
I guess we all bring our own baggage to the books we read, the movies we see, and, of course, the music we listen to.Maybe what makes me and others feel good and also cry when we hear this music (e.g., "Christmastime is Here" almost always slows my heart beat, raises the hair on my arms, and centers me in my soul....along with getting the tear ducts loosened up) is how it can transport us to a time of innocence. We feel good about returning to those days when we didn't worry about mortgages and doctor bills and tuition for college-aged children and AIDS and terrorists. We feel sad that those days are gone.
I wonder whether this music has the same effect on those who didn't first hear it as a child.
No matter, I know that one of the tracks on the album, "My Little Drum", is so sweet and poignant that, although my chorus recently sang "Little Drummer Boy" about 30 times over the past month, I didn't even recognize "My Little Drum" as a takeoff on the old classic, but, rather, a heart-tugging melody unto itself.
I bought this CD for my wife, but I know I'll still be playing this CD in July, long after my wife has put away all her Christmas albums.
Thanks, Vince; thanks, Charles. I hope to hear you in the hereafter. I hope to thank you for remembering the real meaning of Christmas.