• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Vince Guaraldi

xlbee

xlbee

PIONEERFREQ
Subscriber
Someone tells you about their vacation destination and you decide to go there yourself. You have such a good time that you decide to return again. You gradually explore more and more of the place, well beyond the well-known touristy spots until you know it intimately. This is kind of how I explore music.

I’ve always loved The Vince Guaraldi Trio’s “Charlie Brown Christmas” and other work he had done for the Peanuts animations. Recently I’ve been exploring Vince’s less known work and currently I’m a bit obsessed. I thought I’d share some of what I’ve learned recently.

This blog is AWESOME if you want great info and to know about every track Vince ever worked on - http://fivecentsplease.org/dpb/guaraldi.html

Last year a documentary was produced about Vince Guaraldi that I CANT WAIT TO SEE!!! It’s called “The Anatomy of Vince Guaraldi”. You can find out more and see a trailer here: http://www.anatomyofvinceguaraldi.com

Vince Guaraldi’s son, David Guaraldi has also been releasing some of his dad’s previously unreleased work which you can find out about on the fivecentsplease blog in the discography section or here: http://www.vinceguaraldi.com

The work Vince did with Bola Sete and his last studio album “Alma-Ville” are some of my absolute favorites! I was also lucky enough to find an excellent pressing of “In Person” on vinyl that I’m really enjoying.

Any other Vince Guaraldi fans out there?

(No affiliation with any of the links posted in this thread.)
 
Register to hide this ad
A friend of mine touted his non Peanuts stuff and I have no reason to think its not pretty good. I just have not gotten around to listening to it.
 
Vince Guaraldi was one of the most gifted, talented and under-rated of musicians. His excellent work for the "Peanuts" franchise unfortunately stereo-typed him as a light-weight jazzer to many, sad to say. In reality, he was a serious artist and hopefully will one day be recognized as such. Personally, I look forward to that day.
 
His early, pre-Peanuts work is almost minimalist. Some beautiful stuff.

Essential West Coast jazz, IMO.

Another overlooked pianist worth hearing whom also worked w/ Cal Tjader (like Vince did) is Clare Fischer.

Ken
 
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions! I have been planning to check out Cal Tjader's work.
 
Last edited:
xlbee said:
The work Vince did with Bola Sete and his last studio album “Alma-Ville” are some of my absolute favorites! I was also lucky enough to find an excellent pressing of “In Person” on vinyl that I’m really enjoying.
Click to expand...

The collaboration with Bola Sete is one of my cherished albums. When I was around 8 years old, I couldn't get enough of Guaraldi in the Charlie Brown animations. I borrowed one of my dad's Radio Shack portable cassette players and held the mic up to the TV speaker. I played those tapes until they wore out and then recorded them again.

I can't think of too many others that I love as much as his work. Maybe Hugh Masekela, Van Morrison, dunno who else.
 
On the liner notes of "In Person" it says that he had short, stubby fingers. Also that he always had chipped nails and was forever pulling splinters from his fingers from hitting the backboard because his fingering technique was technically "all wrong". Thank goodness he never learned how to play "correctly". Such a shame he died so young!
 
Last edited:
I scored this LP over Christmas at the GW in mint condition. Perfect for the season!

a0091102.jpg
 
So, is there anyone else I should check out that is similar to the Vince Guaraldi Trio? Simple piano, bass and drums with maybe a little guitar thrown in from time to time, a touch of Latin influence here and there, no screaming saxophone or endless noodling, catchy, hip, sometimes understated...

I have tried "Swingin" and "Music from the Soil" by the Ramsey Lewis Trio and "Wack Wack" by the Young Holt Trio...

Any thoughts?
 
Besides Bill Evans and Ahmad Jamal, of course, I'd recommend finding some of Denny Zeitlin's LPs. "Cathexis" was his debut effort on Columbia Records back in the early 1960s.
For more contemporary jazz pianists, Geoff Keezer and Gonzalo Rubalcaba will fit the bill, I'm sure.
In a more Latin direction, Bebo Valdez and his son, Chucho, are both incredibly gifted pianists.

Happy hunting!
regards,
 
ElPee said:
Besides Bill Evans and Ahmad Jamal, of course, I'd recommend finding some of Denny Zeitlin's LPs. "Cathexis" was his debut effort on Columbia Records back in the early 1960s.
For more contemporary jazz pianists, Geoff Keezer and Gonzalo Rubalcaba will fit the bill, I'm sure.
In a more Latin direction, Bebo Valdez and his son, Chucho, are both incredibly gifted pianists.

Happy hunting!
regards,
Click to expand...

Awesome!!! Thanks!
 
Who doesn't like Vince?? :scratch2: The first non holiday cd of his I picked up was "From All Sides" with Bola Sete, very nice interplay between him and the acoustic guitar. Since then I have been picking up his material whenever I find it on sale. "Essential Standards" & 'Greatest Hits" are also highly recommended.
 
ElPee said:
Besides Bill Evans and Ahmad Jamal, of course, I'd recommend finding some of Denny Zeitlin's LPs. "Cathexis" was his debut effort on Columbia Records back in the early 1960s.
For more contemporary jazz pianists, Geoff Keezer and Gonzalo Rubalcaba will fit the bill, I'm sure.
In a more Latin direction, Bebo Valdez and his son, Chucho, are both incredibly gifted pianists.

Happy hunting!
regards,
Click to expand...

Finally had a chance to check out some Bill Evans and found it to be not my thing. A bit too noodley for me. The Ahmad Jamal however is awesome. Just listened to "Ahmad Jamal Volume IV" from 1958. Great understated playing!
 
Other than VG's Christmas/Peanuts stuff the only other album of his that I own is Jazz Impressions Of Black Orpheus. What would be a good next step in exploring his work?
 
OneMalt said:
Other than VG's Christmas/Peanuts stuff the only other album of his that I own is Jazz Impressions Of Black Orpheus. What would be a good next step in exploring his work?
Click to expand...

The last album he recorded is excellent but a bit difficult to find, it's called "Alma-Ville". "In Person" is very good. The albums he recorded with Bola Sete are also very good if you like real bossa-nova, especially "From all Sides".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom