Date:	30-Dec-1998 18:55:42
From:	Frank Charles (frankc4@ix.netcom.com)
	I am a bit young to have had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Guaraldi play, but I did get to go to Pete Douglas's Beach House in Half Moon Bay and see a reunion of his musicians on 3 different occasions. Simply some of the most beautiful music ever! I have most of his albums and consider him my favorite piano player. Charlie Brown is the most known of his work of course, but his earlier work was great also. Three Coins In The Fountain is one I will always remember. Thank you so much for the info you have here, and long live Vince's great Jazz!

 

Date:	15-Jan-1999 23:20:17
From:	Mary Campbell-Droze (jdroze@aol.com)
	'Cast Your Fate to the Wind' is the most exquisite piece of music I've ever heard.

 

Date:	10-Feb-1999 11:22:38
From:	joanne griffin (griffinjjj@aol)
	My talented 3rd grade son is writing a report on Vince. He is straving for info regarding his life. He found that Vince had a finger removed due to an accident. Do you know which finger was injured? Any help would be appreciated.

 

Date:	10-Feb-1999 14:40:48
From:	Jean Caron (jean.jjl.caron@videotron.ca)
	I'm a fan of Vince Guaraldi's work and looking for a transcription of " Remembrance" . If anybody knows if it's ever been published, please drop me a line with info about it. Thanks. I would really like to be able to play it some day.

 

Date:	02-Apr-1999 17:40:34
From:	Robert Spencer (rbspencr@ix.netcom.com)
	Wow. Thank you for all these lovely comments. I wish I could help, but I'd never before heard of Guaraldi's injury, and I've never seen any published transcriptions. I hope you find or have already found them!

 

Date:	07-Apr-1999 16:23:41
From:	MarkB (benmark@worldnet.att.net)
	I became familiar with Mr. Guaraldi's work through, of course, Charlie Brown. However, having recently purchased his Greatest Hits CD, I must admit I was unaware how absolutely beautiful his arrangements were. I agree with one of the earlier posters who said "Cast Your Fate Into The Wind" is one of the most exquisite pieces of music I have ever heard. Ginza is another one of my favorites. I hope someone who has worked with Mr. Guaraldi reads some of these comments. If you do, I just wanted to say "Thank-you" for some incredible work. I haven't heard of any other artist who is able to capture moods and characters as well. (I'm just sorry I wasn't able to hear his music in person!)

 

Date:	12-May-1999 00:41:30
From:	Don Price (buffed@elkgrove.net)
	To me, Vince Guaraldi is the sound I grew up with. I equate the Peanuts soundtracks with the sounds of the seasons. Walking home from school a Fall chill in the air and brown, red and orange leaves all around me; excited that Halloween was just around the corner, and in the evening watching The Great Pumpkin. I find this music reflective, containing all the insight that Linus could muster. It sounds like I might have missed something though. I'll have to check out his other music as well. Thank-you for your information!

 

Date:	17-Oct-1999 00:20:16
From:	Michael Solis (mjs113@juno.com )
	Wow.... And I thought I was the only fan !! Vince is the musician's musician... Lot's of tasty stuff to add dignity and appreciation to any ordinary day.. God must have helped Mr. Guaraldi come up with this stuff !!

 

Date:	19-Oct-1999 20:06:13
From:	Lindsey (alrightythenduff@netscape.msn.com)
	I purchased one of Vince Guaraldi's sheet music books to learn how to play the Charlie Brown Christmas music, but all of the songs were written in different keys than I came up with when I played them by ear. Does anyone know if a book with the music in the right key is available?

 

Date:	15-Nov-1999 20:24:58
From:	bob
	If you're lookong for a good book of transcriptions try "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (same songs as album) by CPP/Belwin. This has pretty good transcriptions including "Linus and Lucy" with two of the solo's.

 

Date:	25-Nov-1999 01:24:39
From:	frank (frankybaby@intouch.bc.ca)
	I heard that a new CD is coming out of Vince Guaraldi. Could you please tell me title of it?

 

Date:	13-Dec-1999 20:07:45
From:	Harrison K. (Dr.FatAlbert@usa.net)
	Although I may not be as old as some of the other "posters" here, I have been fascinated with Vince Guaraldi's music my whole life. I recently recieved the "Charlie Borwn's Holiday Hits" CD, and I must say it was a wonderful addition to the Guaraldi collection of music. Almost all the songs are previously unreleased, but all of them have the classic Guaraldi style and sound. Secondly, because of my profound interest for Mr. Guaraldi's works, I am starting to gather information for a full length biography on his life. Anyone is welcome to submit information, and full credit will be given to you in the book. I hope for this to be successful as I do not know of any biography on him yet. Hopefully, this will give much deserved credit to Mr. Guaraldi and let the public know what an amazing person he was.

 

Date:	17-Dec-1999 08:55:10
From:	Dave (Rogi@buckeyeweb.com)
	First of all, the record co.(Fantasy) should put out the rest of Vince's catalog. I have a copy of Alma-ville, The Eclectic, which is my favoite Vince album (Vince actually sings on this one), and I found a sealed copy of Vince and Bola Sete Live which is something to hear since the show was recorded over 30 years ago. Second, there has to be some kind of video on Vince out there. If anybody has any video or know of where I could get any, please e-mail me. I had the Charlie Brown XMAS LP when I was a kid and at 33, I listen to the CD all year round. The cartoon specials would not be what they are today if it was'nt for Vince.

 

Date:	21-Dec-1999 01:30:57
From:	Becky Ledezma (cookiemonst3r@hotmail.com)
	I love Guaraldi's Linus & Lucy! I always request the song when someone's playing the piano. I grew up on Peanuts, so that's how I became familiar with Vince's music.

 

Date:	09-Feb-2000 15:17:17
From:	Sheri (sda1228@yahoo,com)
	I simply love the "Linus and Lucy" song from the peanuts. I am trying to find out how I can get a copy of the piano sheet music . If anyone can help me, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

 

Date:	12-Feb-2000 18:19:34
From:	John Kitchen (jstudio22@aol.com)
	It's great to see so much interest in Vince's music. He was phenomenally gifted and his sound was so singular! I grew up on the specials and now I force my children to watch them so that I can hear Vince play! My collection is complete except for the soundtrack to A Boy Named Charlie Brown (the full-length film, not the tv special) and the album he did with the San Francisco Boy's Chorus in the late '60s. Anybody have those? I'd love to get my hands on copies of those recordings! Take care and here's hoping Fantasy re-releases more of his

 

Date:	15-Feb-2000 20:59:15
From:	David Lilly (dnslilly@iglou.com)
	The only Guaraldi work I'm familiar with at this point is what he did with the Peanuts tv shows, however, since I'm always up for expanding my own musical horizons and am looking for other things he did. I contributed a top 10 list to WFPK in Louisville for favorite albums of the 20th century and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" was on my list. It brings me so much happiness every time I hear it, and tears of joy. I am on the verge of relearning to play clarinet, and when I begin this process I am interested in owning some of his recordings to play along with. David Lilly

 

Date:	27-Feb-2000 17:43:32
From:	Kathleen Anthony (kanthony@kiski.net)
	My son really enjoys his "Christmas" CD with the "Linus and Lucy" song. We recently purchased the "Schroeder's Greatest Hits" CD which also includes the "Linus and Lucy" song. Can someone pleate tell me where I can get the sheet music for this song? My son plays the piano and is inspired by these two tapes. Please E-mail me. Thank you!!!

 

Date:	02-Apr-2000 21:11:44
From:	Scott Lorencen (sdlz131@voyager.net)
	After just listening to "A Boy Named Charlie Brown", I have to ask myself, could Mr.Schultz and Mr.Melendez, (and whoever else was involved) have chosen a better pianist/composer than Vince Guaraldi to add music to the Charlie Brown T.V. specials? The answer is "NO". The strains of "Christmas time is Here" as "A Charlie Brown Christmas" special begins with the Peanuts characters skating on a pond is a beautifully fond part of my holiday memories. Vince was a one of a kind blend of piano virtuosity and jazz "coolness". His rendition of "Oh Tannenbaum" is priceless! "The Great Pumpkin Waltz" always brings to mind memories of Halloweens past and trick-or-treating as a youngster. We are incredibly blessed to have the work of two brilliant men, Charles Schultz and Vince Guaraldi together on the Peanuts specials.

 

Date:	02-Apr-2000 21:34:21
From:	Scott Lorencen (sdlz131@voyager.net)
	My apologies; I meant `MENDELSON`, not `Melendez` in my earlier comments. SDL

 

Date:	18-Apr-2000 09:14:00
From:	Doug (dli@020.co.uk)
	I've been searchin, with no luck for some sheet music. Can some one point me in the right direction? Thanks

 

Date:	20-Apr-2000 21:12:48
From:	Brian Schmittgens (bschmittgens@hotmail.com)
	I have been playing flute for some time now, and Vince Guaraldi's music in "It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown" was what inspired me to start. I have tried for ever to find the sheet music or mp3's for the songs from that movie, but I have been unsuccessful. If you could help me, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Date:	01-May-2000 14:13:20
From:	Jefferson T. Packer (artfly@gateway.net)
	Vince Guaraldi has the most lovely, moving "keyboard voice" of any jazz pianist I've ever heard. I've been playing piano since I was four (I'm now 32) and I've been working towards being able to at least parrot some of his sound for most of my life. What I've learned about the sheet music is that the key words on the books are "Adapted by." In general, the sheet music is just a place to start; you have to play the CD's and then run back to the piano several dozen times just to begin to alter one song so that it comes close to the way Vince actually played it. For example, in "Skating" (Charlie Brown's Greatest Hits sheetmusic book) the familiar descending run of the snowfall is printed as a simple descending arpeggio of single notes. In reality, Vince played it as incredibly light, quick couplets; much more difficult to play, but the first time you succeed you'll just about fall off the bench because WHAM there is his magic coming right out of your own fingers! In the same song, the strokes of the skater are written as somewhat confused syncopated notes between the right and left hand. Listening to Vince reveals that he played them as large, bold ascending, rolling chords; again the magic blows you away when you reproduce it on your own piano. I've long wished for a computer program that could "hear" the notes being played by the piano on the CD, and then simultaneously create written music to match, in the proper key, using Vince's actual chords and progressions. Especially valuable would be his "ad lib" sections which, despite repeated attempts, are beyond my abilities without more written guidance. Anyone who knows something, please e-mail me. Thanks, Jeff Packer

 

Date:	17-May-2000 10:33:23
From:	Joe Ragusa
	Hal Leonard has at least two versions, easy and intermediate, of the Peanuts music, and I've seen the Christmas book too in Sam Ash in New York. Try Amazon.com. Vince's non-Peanuts music was also fantastic. I wish I could get his later Warner Bros. albums.

 

Date:	17-May-2000 14:38:26
From:	Ron (OkiePokie1028@yahoo.Com)
	All of the comments are great. However, check out Vince Guaraldi Goes Latin. In this collection, he includes a string section. Listen to Mancini's Mr Lucky on the first track and you will fall in love with this collection. For those of you who are in the "Lounge" movement, you must include "From All Sides" with Bola Sete. It is a great collection for sitting outside on a warm summer day. Unfortunately, most people in the jazz world did not appreciate his interpretations of alot of jazz standards. However, his arrangements are incredible. It sounds simple, but in reality it is not. Only a musical genius can simplify it, which Mr. Gualraldi does.

 

Date:	15-Jun-2000 22:51:30
From:	Rachel (gibbs2@hotmail.com)
	As I read through everyone's comments I noticed that quite a few people are interested in sheet music for Linus and Lucy. I must warn you to be careful. I work for the Willis Music Co. and have noticed that there are quite a few different arrangements of this piece out there and many of them are nothing like the original. The best copy I've come across so far is published by Warner Brothers Music. You could also try Felfars music in San Francisco. The order number is 2942LP1X. It should be in the key of A flat Major. Many copies are found in the key of C and are not nearly as good, although easier. As for obtaining sheet music similair to what is found on the recordings; there is now a computer program that can print the sheet music off of a recorded disc although, unfortunately I do not know the name off of the top of my head. Also, if anyone knows of a good resource for learning more about Guaraldi please let me know. I am currently writing about him for my jazz class, although the paper is due tomorrow I would like to continue my research. Unfortunately I haven't found any good resources yet.

 

Date:	03-Jul-2000 12:42:33
From:	Siegbert Sonnenberg (ssiegbert@hotmail.com)
	Hi there, I am just fascinated with Vince Guaraldi's "Cast your fate to the wind". Can anybody tell me where I can get a copy of the sheet music? Thanks a lot, Siegbert

 

Date:	08-Jul-2000 23:48:42
From:	E. Till
	PLEASE check the internet 'links' under Mr. Guaraldi's name. As I was searching for addtl info on his music, I opened two different links listed as 'vince guaraldi'. They are pornographic & involve very young women. I certainly hope this is not done with Mr. Guaraldi's knowledge or consent. Thank you.

 

Date:	22-Jul-2000 23:13:15
From:	Harrison K.
	There is finally some hope!!! I have been searching the net for ways to learn music, and I found a very interesting device. It is the TR-400, made be Reed Kotler (www.reedkotler.com). This is a digital music recorder that you plug into your CD or Tape player. It digitally records the music played and then slows it down so you can hear the notes. It even singles out chords or single notes for you to hear! and also raises the base by an octave to make lower notes clearer. The only downside is that it costs $150. If you are willing to pay the price, it seems likes a wonderful tool that can help anyone learn any song they please (in this case, one by guaraldi). Check it out...

 

Date:	31-Aug-2000 20:19:59
From:	Starrdog
	What great fun to read through the list of messages. It seems as if I have always known and loved Vince's music because of the Peanuts cartoons. I do remember "Caste your fate to the wind" and agree that it is one of the most exquisite, intoxicating and thought provoking peices of music I have ever heard. I find nothing wrong with smooth, non-challenging jazz; not do I have trouble with the dissonant school of John Coltrane et al. But I think Vince deserves much more credit and airplay than he receives. In the San Francisco Bay Area we are blessed with one of the few full time jazz radio stations (commercial free to boot!). I wish I heard more of Vince on KCSM. But I guess that's what Napster is for...

 

Date:	01-Sep-2000 11:34:14
From:	Dorothy (dottyfinesing@hotmail.com)
	My son is a Peanuts collector. Part of the reason that he started to collect Peanuts memorabilia are because of the songs from the Peanuts music. He loves to play the music on Piano as in the films of the cartoons. He plays by ear and has learned the songs by listening to them. I am happy to say that Mr. Guarlki's work has influenced my son.

 

Date:	03-Sep-2000 15:41:04
From:	Craig Carlyle Clarke
	Just wanted to say that I have realized as an adult that Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts music had a MAJOR impact on me, my first introduction to jazz... music is the most important thing in my life, so Mr. Guaraldi has had an enormous impact on the person I have become. We need a complete Vince Guaraldi Boxed Set!!

 

Date:	19-Sep-2000 11:27:10
From:	Gordon Flygare (g.flygare@worldnet.att.net)
	When Ralph Gleason asked Vince what the hit of "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" had meant to him, Vince replied, "Well, I bought the Porsche."

 

Date:	19-Sep-2000 11:33:27
From:	Gordon Flygare (g.flygare@worldnet.att.net)
	When Ralph Gleason asked Vince what the hit of "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" had meant to him, Vince replied, "Well, I bought the Porsche."

 

Date:	21-Sep-2000 18:35:18
From:	Bill Wildridge (Getvocal@home.com)
	Like many of you, I first became aware of Vince via the peanuts specials. It truly is the soundtrack to many of our childhoods. I happened upon the Charlie Brown Christmas CD about 10 years ago and fell in love with the music all over again. I listened to those Christmas songs clear through to Valentine's day! Not long after, I discovered his music was so much broader than just Peanuts. I bought the trio albums and collaborations with Bola Sete one by one until I had them all. Now I am starting to search for the Cal Tjader works that Vince played on. If anyone knows of any other pieces Vince might be found on, I would love to know. I have played in rock and blues bands since high school. It was Vince's music that swept me into a love of Jazz. I also made the jump from electric to upright bass with inspiration from the several great bassists that worked with Vince over the years. It is nice to know his work is appriciated still by so many! Yours in musical fraternity, Bill Wildridge

 

Date:	25-Sep-2000 06:11:26
From:	Andrew Cross (kleeblurb@hotmail.com)
	i have managed to work out the beginning of 'pebble beach' and the whole of 'schrolder', even the funny squidly bit in the middle {very strange bit of piano playing!} the best thing is to sample the record into a computer and loop a bar or measure, then try and play along to it. also try inching out the headphone jack {only works on mini jacks} from your personal cd player ever so slowly. you will hear the bass and drums dissapear leaving you with either the piano bit or the harpsichord bit. this occures because of the way records are mixed and recorded. try it on a r.e.m recored and the vocals are cut out. this makes hearing the piano bit a lot easier. i've only tried this with a panasonic personal cd player and a pair of technics headphones, so it may not work with other equipment. if any one knows what electric harpsichord is used on the 'oh, good grief' recored i'd be very interested. it sounds great. i've tried recreating it on my synth but can't get it quite the same.

 

Date:	26-Sep-2000 14:48:28
From:	scotty t (summers@cusd4.k12.il.us)
	Wow. And I thought I was the only one who was blown away by this GENIUS. "Christmas Time Is Here" is, in my humble opinion, the most beautiful song ever written. thanks for the comments and the info on the other music...

 

Date:	27-Sep-2000 00:35:02
From:	Traci Carraway (Traci @olg.com)
	OH! "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" is simply exquisite! Mr. Guaraldi's music never fails to transport me to a special, indescribable, but always wonderful place. I don't want to be obvious here, as well, but "Linus and Lucy" and "The Christmas Song"...whoever hears them can not help but be transported back to the age of five! I put a CD in the car stereo the other day and as soon as my friend heard "Linus and Lucy," she cried, "The Great Pumpkin!"

 

Date:	29-Sep-2000 09:11:52
From:	mr. a cross (kleeblurb@hotmail.com)
	although i like 'linus and lucy' i think 'you're in love charlie brown', 'peppermint patty', it's you dog charlie brown' and the 'red baron' are better. for me 'linus and lucy' wears a bit thin after the third time one listen's to it, however the other one's i have mentioned i can listen to repeatedly with out them becoming tedious. also, does anyone else like the theme music from the tv cartoon series. when it's played on the end there are lyric's but i can't remeber them all, i think some of it went: "let's have a party with charlie brown and snoopy" "you can go dancing with linus and lucy" that's all i can remeber. i don't know whether it was written by mr. guaraldi but it certainly had that gee-wizz 70's fell to it. i think it had some kind of string arrangement to it as well, executed in that brash 70's way. it was quite funny.

 

Date:	29-Sep-2000 14:14:15
From:	Yvonne Guaraldi (yhallman@healthcareis.com)
	Vince Guaraldi was my great Uncle and he died before I was born. My family has told me many great things about him. I was always asked in school are you related to him and of course I said "yes" so I wanted to know more about him. My father told me that he was adopted by father's aunt and uncle. I was so shocked to hear that because the Guaraldi's are very musical. My great aunt Mafalda Guaraldi was concert violinst for 50 years in the San Francisco Symphony. I think this is so great that so many people have said great things about him and love his music. I wish I could of met him.

 

Date:	02-Oct-2000 21:44:30
From:	Harrison Killefer (Dr.FatAlbert@usa.net)
	If any of you didn't know, David Benoit came out with a fifty year tribute CD to Vince and Peanuts. The songs are a bit overdone, but they still have their classic foundation. On Linus and Lucy, they were able to mix Vince playing in the backround while David improvs. with his own tune. David also wrote two Peanuts-esque songs that appear on the CD, and they actually sound somewhat related to Vince's style. It may not be Vince himself, but I recommend the CD to any fan of the Peanuts tunes.

 

Date:	22-Oct-2000 19:17:00
From:	Linda (kantermag@aol.com)
	TREAT STREET....a great tune from a great musician. But I can't find any (piano) sheet music for my son. Does anyone know of any source for notation for this song? Thanks.

 

Date:	24-Oct-2000 18:24:11
From:	Adam (musicalpianoman@aol.com)
	vince guaraldi music has inspired me to become a pianist. i am still looking for more of his sheet music that inspired me tp play.

 

Date:	29-Oct-2000 22:45:33
From:	Jack (Xckack@hotmail.com)
	If anyone could be so kind as to e-mail me sheet music for "Christmas Time is Here" I would be very appreciative. I'm getting back into piano and I can't recall how to play it.

 

Date:	30-Oct-2000 01:22:12
From:	Phil Bleinberger
	Vince Guaraldi was the first jazz style music that I truly connected with. The first song that I heard of his was "Oh good grief". I literally fell down into my chair in my room and the sound just flooded my mind. The style and feeling are something that I was astounded by. His music is so personal and full of emotion. Vince changed my life and changed how I look at music. Thank You Vince Guaraldi

 

Date:	06-Nov-2000 11:40:01
From:	todd fletcher (fletch16@sprynet.com)
	Hi, I did some transcriptions of some Vince Guaraldi solos, specifically from the songs 'generique', 'outre vez', 'samba de orpheus', and 'charlie's blues'. These are available at http://fletch16.home.sprynet.com/transcriptions.html You have to download a shareware program called Lime to view these - the link is on the page.

 

Date:	16-Nov-2000 23:01:48
From:	FUCKNUT
	I THINK THIS FUCKIN WEB IS A WHOLE MISTAKE AND I WISH FOR ALL THE FUCKIN PEOPLE WHO CUMS 2 DIS BITCHY WEBSITE 2 GO FUCK THEIR OWN MOMMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

Date:	16-Nov-2000 23:04:44
From:	UHHH suck my cock!!!! (fuck your mom!)
	u knoe i tink in chapparal mr. and mrs. lantz and stolts can suck their own pussies and cocks!!!!!!!

 

Date:	28-Jan-2001 17:38:48
From:	rick t
	Does anyone know who may have done the vocal version of "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" some time in the 60's? Would love to know.

 

Date:	29-Jan-2001 18:36:34
From:	Melonious (melonious@hotmail.com)
	I've been looking for @Linus and Lucy@ by the great Vince Guaraldi for age now. I absolutely love that song, can anyone help my find the piano sheet music to that song? Email the link to me please. Thanks in advance.

 

Date:	02-Feb-2001 14:44:51
From:	Steve (seroth1162@yahoo.com)
	First saw and heard the Vince Guaraldi Trio at the Hungry i -- must have been in the early 60's. Kept coming back for more every chance I could. Never mind the prevailing orthodoxy about jazz piano during that time. No one had a more distinctive keyboard style than Guaraldi. His work almost always emphasized the difference in tones and colors between the left and right hand -- as if his piano was two different, intertwining instruments. Still thrills me after all these years...

 

Date:	07-Feb-2001 17:15:10
From:	Jake (hip_hop_bob@hotmail.com)
	I am excited to have found these comments on Guaraldi. I have been a Guaraldi fan most of my life. Of course I got to know his music through Peanuts, but I have just come to know his other works recently. I am a music student at University of Maine at Augusta and I am doing my term paper on Guaraldi this semster. I am looking for any and all the information I can find on him. I am a piano player that considers Guaraldi one of my two biggest influences. I have trascribe some songs and solos, and plan to do many more of the sourse of this semester and my life. I welcome any comments. Thanks Vince for haveing your own style, its been a big factor in creating mine. Jake

 

Date:	07-Feb-2001 17:21:13
From:	Jake (hip_hop_bob@hotmail.com)
	I am excited to have found these comments on Guaraldi. I have been a Guaraldi fan most of my life. Of course I got to know his music through Peanuts, but I have just come to know his other works recently. I am a music student at University of Maine at Augusta and I am doing my term paper on Guaraldi this semster. I am looking for any and all the information I can find on him. I am a piano player that considers Guaraldi one of my two biggest influences. I have trascribe some songs and solos, and plan to do many more over the course of this semester and my life. I welcome any comments. Thanks Vince for having your own style, its been a big factor in creating mine. Jake

 

Date:	11-Feb-2001 10:34:05
From:	Matt (Schiffer252@aol.com)
	Vince Guaraldi is a great artist and I listen to his music every chance I get. His CD Trio is the greatest.

 

Date:	25-Feb-2001 00:13:03
From:	Kathy Dean-Dielman (dielman@hotmail.com)
	I just found this message board today. I thought I was the only Vince Guaraldi fan. My husband bought me a CD by George Winston called "Linus and Lucy: The Music of Vince Guaraldi," and it's one of my favorite CD's of all time. It's all solo-piano work, including "Cast Your Fate To The Wind," "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving," "Young Man's Fancy," "The Great Pumpkin Waltz," and many others. It's a must for any Guaraldi fan. For the record, let me also express my disappointment that Ken Burns did not mention Vince Guaraldi in his Jazz series. I found it to be a major oversight, since I see Vince Guaraldi's music (through the Peanuts specials, specifically) as major vehicles for post-swing era jazz in the American mainstream.

 

Date:	06-Mar-2001 16:01:48
From:	Darren Spitzer (darren@livemarketing.com)
	Alright, so it's all about ZELAO, is it not?!!!! Wow, Guaraldi is something else. Here's the question : Did Guaraldi play with the Grateful Dead? I've read twice that he did in 1971, and this would make sense because both Vince and the Dead were on Warner Bros. label, Jerry Garcia loves jazz and cartoons, and the Dead's keyboardist situation would allow for this. ANYONE KNOW FOR SURE?!!! Anyone who wants to talk Guaraldi, give me a holler.

 

Date:	21-Mar-2001 17:41:17
From:	debbie (debbie@ces-corp.com)
	My husband and I saw Vince at the Cottage in Menlo Park during the mid 1970's, once or twice a week. Vince was wonderful and died way too soon. The tribute at BDDS was thrilling. Find and play every recording you can.

 

Date:	23-Mar-2001 20:01:16
From:	Albert (acamacho@co.la.ca.us)
	I, like so many others, grew up on Vince Guaraldi's work on the Peanuts specials. In my adulthood, I've been able to pick up a couple of cassettes released on Fantasy Records. However, I wish that I could find them on CD. The George Winston tribute to Vince is quite good. I've been lucky enough to see George perform live, and he performs "Linus and Lucy" and "Cast Your Fate to the Wind", and is quite faithful to Vince's incomparable versions.

 

Date:	03-Apr-2001 16:31:39
From:	Ed Binns (edbinns@amexol.net)
	I just finished scanning many of the comments on the thread going through Vice Guaraldi's work, and I'd like to rant and rave a little bit about a couple of things. Jazz seems to have a pretentious little hierarchy of its own, in which a memorable melody isn't a good thing, it is damnably "catchy." Only the sourest and most atonal of performances are great jazz art, an unpretentious and quietly calm set of clever variations on a great melody isn't "cool," it is cold, unemotional, distant and remote, "west coast jazz." So we need to get used to it, once and for all. Guaraldi is never going to be honored by the bebop heroin addicts as a great artist. Let's live with that. Guaraldi sat at the feet and listened and learned from Art Tatum's playing. That tells quite a story (listen to Tatum's incredibly, preposterously fast "Tea for Two" to get the message of this piano master who awed even George Gershwin himself). As such, Vice Guaraldi has a lot in common with the other great kids who admired Tatum -- Joe Bushkin and Peter Nero. He may never have realize it, but Guaraldi also learned a lot from or simply paralleled a contemporary, Fats Domino (Fats is one of the absolutely best boogie woogie piano players that ever existed). Guaraldi never went far from boogie woogie, really. And now I can share a terrible secret with you. Both blues and boogie woogie are 12-bar formats, they are similar (you can play a boogie woogie on the St. Louis blues, for example, as Earl Hines famously did), but boogie woogie is happier, more carefree, sexier, more flippant, and it should be. It started out as dance music for folks with only a broken down old piano to set the beat to. But unlike its slightly older brothers, stride piano music and the blues, boogie woogie had a revolutionary charm to it, owing mostly to its sexuality. It breathed life into the strait jacket of the big band craze (find Carmen Cavallero's fabulous -- and obscure -- "Anitra's Boogie" to listen to boogie piano and trumpets take over Edvard Grieg's most sensuous little tune and set it on fire; and also find the 1946 Freddy Martin recording of "Bumble Boogie" -- a novelty song that may be the best boogie woogie recording anywhere by anyone). And then a funny thing happened -- boogie outlasted the big bands. A GREAT boogie woogie teenager could also sing sweetly --Fats Domino. He wasn't the originator of this gimmick, but he made singing boogie woogie popular. Of course, we don't call it that, we call it "rock and roll," the great success of 20th century music. How much of a success? Go to any city anywhere in the world and turn the radio dial. If you don't hear any rock and roll, you're in a dictatorship!!! Vince Guaraldi called himself a reformed boogie woogie piano player. I like to think he was joking, because the left hand is still there. Not only did singing boogie woogie take over the world, but that most commercial and despised of professional music, the soundtrack recording, took the Elgart brothers "Bandstand Boogie" through Bernstein's "Dance at the Gym" (a sarcastic imitation of boogie woogie coming from a classical musician -- the sarcasm fails because the result is sexy and funny) and then, critically, through a TV show theme for a Blake Edwards detective show, "Peter Gunn," written by Henry Mancini. Bandstand Boogie and the Peter Gunn theme are boogie woogies, too, you see. Then the trick of farming the boogie woogie left handed beat out to the instruments exploded in 1962 when a trivial Monty Norman adventure movie theme was arranged by one of Ted Heath's sideman, a man who always wanted to write sound tracks (his father owned a theater and he grew up at the movies), John Barry and his "James Bond Theme" in 1962. Why am I boring you with all this? Because rock and roll is boogie woogie -- and the world standard for pop music. Because boogie woogie took over instrumental music after the "James Bond Theme." And into this emerging climate of the early 1960's came boogie woogie keyboard man Vince Guaraldi, with a boogie woogie -ish quasi-Bossa Nova called "Cast Your Fate to the Wind." Impossibly, electrifyingly catchy, that song. The combination of a boogie style beat, bossa nova touches and a catchy tune are mesmerizing, hypnotic (the "pop rock" song by Petula Clark, "Downtown" is also a boogying, bosa nova-ish work of sung jazz). And then came the Charlie Brown TV special soundtracks, seen by tens of millions and remembered fondly by so many kids who then wanted to learn the piano. Old style beboppers are lost in the dust. And they are bitter. They call modern instrumental music unjazzy because it is offensive. Too melodic. Not dissonant enough. Too catchy. Not deep. But actually it is the state of the art, the crest of change, the use of talent and beat to embrace and fondle the magic of a memorable melody. As a boy and adolescent, what I got from Peter Nero's Tatum-esque, snappy version of "Mountain Greenery" and from John Barry's soundtracks and from Vince Guaraldi's opus was a soft musical touch that went right to my melancholy soul. How do I honor Vice Guaraldi myself? My dad learned to play music by ear as a boy by hanging around Mugsy Spanier and Jelly Roll Morton in Tin Pan Alley in the early 40's in New York. I learned to play boogie woogie from my dad, who learned from jazz masters... and, though I'm just a plinking amateur... I do my own Tatum-esqe variations on "Cast Your Fate to the Wind," and remember how I needed this uplifting music when I was 13 years old, a long time ago. The melody isn't just clever or catchy, it warms the soul, it brings kids to music, it wordlessly bespeaks of generousity of the soul and evokes an alert, attentive gratitude. Only great art can do that.

 

Date:	16-Apr-2001 17:11:13
From:	darren (dspitzer@livemarketing.com)
	Why are the albums "Almaville" and the "Eclectic" so ridiculously difficult to find? It really makes me angry..........frankly I own them both on audio cassette, I had to bootleg them off the vinyl records bought by a friend off e-bay. The point is that these are two of his most wondrous albums, and it's the only way to hear him sing and play guitar ( and cover Eleanor Rigby so beautifully ). Anyone who has made the effort to look at a message board like this one should at least have the oppurtunity to purchase these albums, but Warner Bros. has them on the "out of print" list............... I'm just venting, I wish you could all get them......well you can, I just had a splendid idea, I'll get those audio tapes converted to CD, and then convert to mp3 files, and then get them on Napster.....it's my goal, to spread Guaraldi's great unheard music !!!!! By the way, I keep hearing people saying that they're tired of Vince being criticized for his harmonic structure being too consonant and that he's segregated from the other great jazz artists.........well for those "in the know" vince has worked with Ben Webster.......nuff said.

 

Date:	23-Jun-2001 22:36:20
From:	Steve Mason (mason22@msn.com)
	Interesting string of messages. I've been a fan for over 15 years, and though I was raised in Vince's "home area" (Los Altos, CA) he passed away when I was about 7 and so I never saw the incredible Mr. Guaraldi perform live. Lots of faves, but I'd probably have to say that "Skating," "Charlie Brown and his All-Stars," and "Nobody Else" would be top my list. Warner Brothers needs to get a clue and release "Almaville" and "Eclectic Vince Guaraldi" on CD. I'm sure they have the rights, as "Oh Good Grief" is a Warners CD release. Superb albums, both. Also, we need a clean version (minus the dialogue) of the tune "Charlie Brown and his All-Satrs". Here's hoping, though George Winston's version will do in a pinch. Fantasy's "Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits" CD was a pleasant surprise when it hit the stores a couple years back. Now maybe Warner Brothers can answer with CD releases of "Almaville," and "Eclectic," with a couple of bonuses like alternate takes or unreleased songs. Yeah, I know, if I think that that's going to happen then I need to quit smoking funny cigarettes. Anyhow, cheers to Vince Guaraldi.

 

Date:	07-Aug-2001 19:38:11
From:	Tim Casara (TiXaCa@aol.com)
	WELL, THIS IS INDEED A SUPPRISE, I DID NOT REALIZE THE WIDTH OF GUARALDI ENTHUSIASTS TILL I CAME ACROSS THIS SITE. I MUST SAY THAT LOTS OF (ALTHOUGH REDUNDANT) GREAT THINGS ARE MENTIONED HERE ABOUT THAT GENIUS WHO STOOD NO HIGHER THAN A BROOM HANDLE, OUT OF WHOM POURED SOME OF THE GREATEST JAZZ SCORES I HAVE EVER HEARD...THERE ARE TIMES I MUST PLAY ONE SONG AT LEAST 5 OR 6 TIMES IN A ROW JUST TO APPRECIATE THE DEPTH AND SINCERITY OF HIS MUSIC. ABOUT 98% OF THE PEOPLE WHO WROTE IN THEIR COMMENTS HERE HOWEVER DID NOT MENTION HIS WORKS OUTSIDE OF THE PEANUTS SOUNDTRACKS AND CAST YOUR FATE...ALTHOUGH THESE ARE GREAT PIECES THEMSELVES I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU LISTEN TO SONGS LIKE "STAR SONG", "MR. LUCKY", "DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES" AND "SKATING" & "CHRISTMAS IS COMING" YOU'LL PROBABLY FALL IN LOVE WITH HIS MUSIC ALL OVER AGAIN FOR THESE PIECES HAVE HELPED ME GET THROUGH SOME PRETTY GLOOMY MOMENTS. I WISH SOMEONE WOULD COME UP WITH ONE OF THOSE PBS SPECIALS ON HIM...A TRULY UNSUNG

 

Date:	07-Aug-2001 19:41:00
From:	Tim Casara (TiXaCa@aol.com)
	WELL, THIS IS INDEED A SUPPRISE, I DID NOT REALIZE THE WIDTH OF GUARALDI ENTHUSIASTS TILL I CAME ACROSS THIS SITE. I MUST SAY THAT LOTS OF (ALTHOUGH REDUNDANT) GREAT THINGS ARE MENTIONED HERE ABOUT THAT GENIUS WHO STOOD NO HIGHER THAN A BROOM HANDLE, OUT OF WHOM POURED SOME OF THE GREATEST JAZZ SCORES I HAVE EVER HEARD...THERE ARE TIMES I MUST PLAY ONE SONG AT LEAST 5 OR 6 TIMES IN A ROW JUST TO APPRECIATE THE DEPTH AND SINCERITY OF HIS MUSIC. ABOUT 98% OF THE PEOPLE WHO WROTE IN THEIR COMMENTS HERE HOWEVER DID NOT MENTION HIS WORKS OUTSIDE OF THE PEANUTS SOUNDTRACKS AND CAST YOUR FATE...ALTHOUGH THESE ARE GREAT PIECES THEMSELVES I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU LISTEN TO SONGS LIKE "STAR SONG", "MR. LUCKY", "DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES" AND "SKATING" & "CHRISTMAS IS COMING" YOU'LL PROBABLY FALL IN LOVE WITH HIS MUSIC ALL OVER AGAIN FOR THESE PIECES HAVE HELPED ME GET THROUGH SOME PRETTY GLOOMY MOMENTS. I WISH SOMEONE WOULD COME UP WITH ONE OF THOSE PBS SPECIALS ON HIM...A TRULY UNSUNG

 

Date:	10-Aug-2001 17:40:41
From:	Darren (dspitzer@livemarketing.com)
	I did it !!!! Thru this message board I have beaten the system ( Warner Brothers ). I now own Almaville and Eclectic on compact disc !!!! Make sure all of you go out and buy Ralph J. Gleason's Jazz Casual video with the Vince Guaraldi Trio backing up singer Jimmy Witherspoon form 1962.......gorgeous !!! Saw a recent message on this board saying that most of us are only mentioning Vince's Peanuts scores. Very true, I would expect more comments about his studio albums, there's a wealth of material worth discussing. I wonder if everyone bought last summer's album "Vince and Bola".....great unreleased material from Vince, well worth owning. This just in......the PBS special "Anatomy of A Hit" which stars Guaraldi is scheduled to be released on video.....my source on this is a reliable one....indirectly I was told this by the son of Ralph J. Gleason !!!! So be on the lookout for that, and please, keep on sending in your comments.........Guaraldi's music lives, so should his FANS !!!!!!! Love to all.

 

Date:	20-Aug-2001 01:04:45
From:	mike (mmoon@lava.net)
	I heard him at the Trident in Sausalito sometime in the early 60's. He was great. He was one of my favorite pianists. I enjoyed him as much as i enjoyed Oscar Peterson, Peter Nero and Errol Garner. When I lived in San Francisco, I used to go to Broadway and Sausalito...listened to all of them. There was even a "Jazz at the Phil" at the Oakland Coleseum with Ellington and company....what a time it was...Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrel were my favorites too...I miss that stuff. Vince Guaraldi will always be one of the listenable jazz musicians that I have high regard for.

 

Date:	23-Aug-2001 11:40:10
From:	Darren (dspitzer@livemarketing.com)
	So now that I have Almaville, Eclectic, and San Francisco Boys Chorus on CD, the next step is to make these tunes available to all of you !!!! If you use any of the napster off-shoots ( Gnotella, Kazaa, etc. ) be on the lookout for some new Guaraldi tunes, I'm planning on getting this music out to the public.

 

Date:	28-Aug-2001 10:35:40
From:	Mike
	Hi man

 

Date:	09-Sep-2001 20:35:33
From:	Jeff Herr (herr42@home.com)
	I remember when I was a kid here in Sacramento back in '62. One of our local stations, KXOA, played Cast Your Fate to The Wind. I was 8 years old, and we had no record player so I called KXOA and requested that song over and over and over and over....for days.. they played it too! read the following: http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/go/bang/guaraldi.html i would like to think i had a small part in this! its an amazing coincidence.

 

Date:	27-Sep-2001 18:50:25
From:	jazzmanzo (jazzmanzo@yahoo.com)
	hey there. i'm looking to form a second coming of the vince guaraldi trio with bass and drums and myself on the piano. i live in sf. let me know if you're interested in playing. mark

 

Date:	30-Sep-2001 23:58:33
From:	Skip Van Bloem (vanbloem@msu.edu)
	So my fiancee has been looking for sheet music for Cast Your Fate into the Wind for quite some time now. She'd like to walk down the aisle with it at the end of the month. If you've got a copy you'd like to share, I'd appreciate it.