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Avg: 4.5 (448 ratings)
- Date Released: October 10, 2006
- Genre: Jazz
- Style: Holiday, Children's, Easy Listening
- Label: Fantasy
A Christmas classic gets spruced up and expanded.
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We Say...
"I don't think I'm a great piano player," Vince Guaraldi once said, "but I would like to have people like me, to play pretty tunes and reach the audience. I hope some of those tunes will become standards. I want to write standards, not just hits." As even those with limited exposure to Guaraldi's work can tell you, he didn't just write standards; he set them. His cool jazz–infused compositions for Charles Schulz's Peanuts TV specials — music that was by turns spirited and poignant — certainly qualify as classics, not just within the genres of children's programming or of jazz but in the popular imagination.
Guaraldi's much-loved A Charlie Brown Christmas, a soundtrack originally released way back in 1965, is the most classic of this self-effacing piano player's classics. It's also a big seller. No wonder, then, that Fantasy Records reissued it, first in 1988 and then again, with Concord Records, in 2006. Naysayers have grumbled on various websites, including this one, about the remastered A Charlie Brown Christmas Album (with bonus tracks). They say it's too pristine sounding and that the alternate takes are not on par with the perfection of the original. In the case of the former, hey, it's a matter of taste; some people like tape hisses and such, and some prefer a sleeker sound. The merit of the bonus cuts, however, cannot be debated.
The additional versions — of "Greensleeves," "Christmas Time Is Here" and "Christmas Is Coming" — are more of a good thing, period. There will never be an album of fresh material from Vince Guaraldi; tragically and unexpectedly, he died from a heart attack in 1976, when he was just 47. We're fortunate to have newish songs like these, especially when they're this good. The restrained "Greensleeves" on the 1965 album seems almost ponderous compared to alternate take 6, which has a hep pizzazz resulting from looser piano playing, a more-prominent bass, the stirring use of what sounds like an egg shaker and snappy drumming in place of the original's gentle, splashy brushwork. If Charlie and Lucy grew up and went to sophisticated jazz lounges on dates, this is the kind of song a skillful trio onstage would be playing.
Alternate take 13 of "Greensleeves," on the other hand, is at least 13 shades darker than both of the other versions. At times, it sounds like Guaraldi is sinking his fingers right down through the ivories, like he's implanting the notes in his piano. A snare drum kicks in protest, while the cymbals shiver. The three renditions of "Greensleeves" make the case for this reissue all on their own, I would argue. The alternate "Christmas Is Coming" is also both a real find and a real joy. Guaraldi and his fellow musicians deliver a performance that is rangy and sly, and the sheer aliveness of it is — dare I say — a gift that keeps on giving. -
They Say...
Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz called on pianist extraordinaire Vince Guaraldi and his trio to compose and perform music that would reflect the humor, charm, and innocence of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the entire Peanuts gang for their 1965 Christmas TV special. It was a perfect match: Guaraldi strings together elegant, enticing arrangements that reflect the spirit and mood of Schulz's work and introduce contemporary jazz to youngsters with grace, charm, and creativity. "What Child Is This" touches on cool jazz's richly textured percussive nuances, while "The Christmas Song" reflects Christmas' relaxing, mellow moments. The renowned "Linus and Lucy" gives the Peanuts characters a fresh, energetic feel with its tantalizing meter changes, brilliant percussion, and dashing, humorous piano lines. "Christmastime Is Here," perhaps the album's most endearing and eloquent moment, is six minutes of soft, lullaby-like melodic and percussive flavors. This collection of soul-soothing melodies would not be complete without the romantic gem "Skating," which blends musical references to falling snowflakes with the dashing feel of swing. Finally, the uplifting, emotionally stirring swing tune "Christmas Is Coming" really brings the listener into the joyous light of the Christmas spirit. Fred Marshall's alluring walking basslines and drummer Jerry Granelli's hauntingly beautiful brush work give most of the album a warm foundation, while Monty Budwig and Colin Bailey shine through with eminent dexterity on bass and drums on "Greensleeves." As for Guaraldi, his penetrating improvisational phrases paint pictures of the first winter snowfall, myriad glistening trees, and powdery white landscapes. With its blend of contemporary jazz and lyrical mannerisms, A Charlie Brown Christmas is a joyous and festive meditation for the holiday season. [This edition of A Charlie Brown Christmas included bonus tracks.]
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| 01. |  |
O Tannenbaum |
5:11 |
|
| 02. | |
What Child Is This |
2:23 |
|
| 03. | |
My Little Drum |
3:13 |
|
| 04. | |
Linus And Lucy |
3:08 |
|
| 05. | |
Christmas Time Is Here (instrumental) |
6:08 |
|
| 06. | |
Christmas Time Is Here (vocal) |
2:47 |
|
| 07. | |
Skating |
2:41 |
|
| 08. | |
Hark, The Herald Angels Sing |
1:54 |
|
| 09. | |
Christmas Is Coming |
3:25 |
|
| 10. | |
Fur Elise |
1:04 |
|
| 11. | |
The Christmas Song |
3:18 |
|
| 12. | |
Greensleeves |
5:28 |
|
| 13. | |
Christmas Is Coming (alternate take 1) |
4:34 |
|
| 14. | |
The Christmas Song (alternate take 3) |
3:53 |
|
| 15. | |
Greensleeves (alternate take 6) |
5:03 |
|
| 16. | |
Christmas Time Is Here (alternate vocal take) |
1:26 |
|
| 17. | |
Greensleeves (alternate take 13) |
2:21 |
|
17 Total Tracks, 57:57 Total Length
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Credits
- Vince Guaraldi - Piano // Vince Guaraldi - Piano // Vince Guaraldi - Piano // Vince Guaraldi - Arranger // Vince Guaraldi - Arranger // Vince Guaraldi - Arranger // Vince Guaraldi - Adaptation // Vince Guaraldi - Adaptation // Vince Guaraldi - Adaptation // Jerry Granelli - Drums // Jerry Granelli - Drums // Colin Bailey - Drums // Bill Belmont - Project Assistant // Monty Budwig - Bass // Stephen Hart - Remixing // George Horn - Mastering // Fred Marshall - Bass // Cheryl Pawelski - Reissue Producer // Mark Wexler - Project Assistant // Joel Selvin - Liner Notes // Jamie Putnam - Design // Abbey Anna - Project Assistant // Terri Hinte - Project Assistant // Rikka Arnold - Project Assistant // Chris Clough - Project Assistant // Audrey Bilger - Project Assistant // Andrew Pham - Project Assistant // Jennifer Peters - Project Assistant // Rob Ondarza - Project Assistant
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