Jazz Articles about Seward McCain

About Seward McCain

Album Review

Vince Guaraldi: It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown

Read "It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown" reviewed by Joshua Weiner

by Joshua Weiner
September 11, 2026

The winsome series of pianist Vince Guaraldi's soundtracks for the original Peanuts television specials is a gift from Lee Mendelson Film Productions that keeps on giving. Arriving just in time for “spooky season" is the premiere release of music from 1974's It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown, with three colored vinyl pressings unique to individual retailers (Urban Outfitters, Barnes & Noble, and Think Indie) available on September 11, 2026, followed by the wide release of black vinyl, CD, and digital versions ...

Album Review

Vince Guaraldi: It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown/Charlie Brown's All Stars

Read "It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown/Charlie Brown's All Stars" reviewed by Joshua Weiner

by Joshua Weiner
April 8, 2026

The series of complete Peanuts television special soundtracks put out by Lee Mendelson Film Productions continues with a delightful disc coupling music from 1976's It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown with seven brief cues from 1966's Charlie Brown's All Stars. Vince Guaraldi's inimitable compositions and Latin jazz piano stylings first brought Charles Schulz's comic strip world of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang to animated life in 1965 with the evergreen A Charlie Brown Christmas. Apart from its crucial role in ...

Album Review

Vince Guaraldi: It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!

Read "It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!" reviewed by Joshua Weiner

by Joshua Weiner
April 6, 2025

The series of complete Peanuts television special soundtracks put out by Lee Mendelson Film Productions continues to thrill fans of Vince Guaraldi, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and all the gang. After the highly successful Christmas, Halloween, and Thanksgiving animated specials, the stage was set for 1974's It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! Recorded over two days at Wally Heider Studios in Guaraldi's hometown of San Francisco, the soundtrack--resurrected for the first time from the 16-track master tape and freshly mixed--features the ...

Album Review

Vince Guaraldi: Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown

Read "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown" reviewed by Joshua Weiner

by Joshua Weiner
January 29, 2025

The series of complete Peanuts television special soundtracks put out by Lee Mendelson Film Productions continues to provide a treasure trove of musical delights for fans of Vince Guaraldi, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and all the gang. Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown came out in 1975, and it certainly sounds like it, thanks to the expanded palette of instruments available to Guaraldi. In addition to the piano and electric piano featured on earlier specials, we hear the new ARP Solina String ...

Album Review

Vince Guaraldi: You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown

Read "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" reviewed by Joshua Weiner

by Joshua Weiner
August 22, 2024

Many a jazz fan was first exposed to the music through pianist Vince Guaraldi's soundtracks for the long series of animated television specials featuring Charles Schulz's evergreen Peanuts characters. That alone would secure Guaraldi's place in the jazz pantheon, but he is also remembered as a composer of the hit song “Cast Your Fate to the Wind" as well as for his forays into Brazilian music, including the popular 1962 album Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus (Fantasy) and a series ...

Album Review

Vince Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Read "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" reviewed by James Aren

by James Aren
November 14, 2023

Just in time for Thanksgiving, the people at Lee Mendelson films are serving up a fresh take on some old favorites. The soundtrack to a A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving has been released for the first time, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the special. Vince Guaraldi's voice is the first sound on the album. “Okay, well, did ya get that last one? This is cue one," as it swings into “Charlie Brown Blues." It is a good introduction ...

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Album Review

Vince Guaraldi Trio: Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits

Read "Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits" reviewed by Douglas Payne

by Douglas Payne
October 1, 1998

This nice little holiday gift is easily confused with the popular soundtrack to the 1964 TV special,A Charlie Brown Christmas. But don't be fooled. Nine of the 14 tracks included here are culled from the 15 Peanuts holiday specials Vince Guaraldi scored before his untimely death at age 47 in 1976--and have never been released on disc before.Some will even startle Vince Guaraldi fans. The lovely, melodic waltzes you can hum along to are all here. But it's ...