Vince Guaraldi - Now THAT'S a Vintage Recording!

[bilco]

I pulled out the "Charlie Brown" CD I dubbed from a played to death cassette a few years ago. I have the store bought CD too, but I actually like the version dubbed from the cassette more. I have to think about why...... it has more character somehow, even thought the highs are gone and it's definitely got the hiss factor going.

In terms of vintage recording from the earlier thread, does anyone know the history of this record? It seems to me like they played it head on in one room with no overdubs, but I am curious.

There is a feel of coming home to me when I listen to this recording; part of it is the dark tones of the piano and bass and the snare "sounds" like snow falling to me. It brings up a lot of emotions and memories: trying to get the kids to bed when they were little on Christmas Eve, listening for bass ideas I could use on the way to gigs every December Friday night for the last 14 years and 27 years of Christmases with my wife.

The "record" is complex like Christmas, there are the uptempo, playful songs for the Peanuts themes, but there is incredible depth and a somber feel to "What Child Is This/Greensleeves", "The Christmas Song" and "O Christmas Tree." He plays an awesome head on "What Child Is This", moves me to tears when I really stop to listen hard and let it in. How did he think of THAT for a Christmas carol? What a great trio this was and what a great talent he was.......

This CD is a touchstone for me every year, a window to my past....

That's what recording is all about Charlie Brown.....

bilco

[Sounds Expensive]

:Thumbsup: :Thumbsup: :Thumbsup:

[crunch]

"What Child Is This" is so deep and beautiful it's humbling. Brilliant sense of harmony and phrasing. Vince was and is the real deal, anyone studying music for real will get waylaid for a long, long while on Vince's catalog.

Most of those recordings, are frankly, imho, really, really good, especially on vinyl, just incredibly listenable (however there's some rather "abrupt" edits on the end of many of his works - who tracked and mastered these?). I ended up getting almost his entire catalog on mp3 from emusic merely by semi-happy accident (ok, ok, ok, I signed up for their stupid freebie special, and then quickly came to realize they didn't have almost anything I wanted... bet they never saw that coming. Couldn't help but throw White Stripes at me 200 times however. For the 200th time, thanks, but no thanks. And then I saw Vince's name...) So, even the mp3's aren't bad, there's top end and it's not flanging. Listen to the kit on "Blue Charlie Brown". Smooth like melted butter on a hot biscuit. Bass too, but his (I don't know who he is) phrasing and intonation goes astray a few almost unnoticeable times (but he's perfect anyway). Vince brings it all home, infinitely elegant with just the right touch of grease.

And don't even get me started on how amazing "Christmas Time Is Here" is... heartbreakingly brilliant.

I'm glad there's some others out there listening too...

A toast to Vince Guaraldi.

[Tim Armstrong]

My glass is lifted!

Many years ago, during my mostly callow youth, I liked what I liked and disdained everything else, which included jazz. This album opened my ears, and I'm deeply grateful.

Cheers, Tim

[M.Brane]

Likewise my best friend turned this old metalhead onto the wonderful world of hard-bop jazz a few years ago, and Vince was one of the first instruments he used in his evil plan to corrupt me. That the music was subconsciously familiar to me from my childhood made the act that much more cunning.

Besides the music itself the recordings have a great "live" sound to 'em. They sound to me like they were mostly cut live in studio with minimal mics like most stuff from that era. Definitely good stuff.

[mousdrvr]

Oh Hell yes I'll toast to Vince!

Underrated by a long a shot. He was a GENUIS! The album he did with Bolo Sete on guitar is Jaw dropping. True, he gets props but not nearly what he deserves.


-mous

[Strat+AC30]

Peanuts is hands down my favorite Christmas album of all time. :Thumbsup:

[clicktrack]

Yes.

All time classic, all around.

Whether it be from the technical perspective on how it was recorded to the performance to the sheer coolness of the music...its fantastic.

Good call.

[radeng9805]

For those wondering what these guys are talking about, the actual title of this classic record is "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Released on the Fantasy label in 1964. Catalog number 5019 (mono), 85019 (stereo). Reissued in 1971 as 8431. I agree with Strat, best Christmas album of all time. The 64' version is best but the reissue is still excellent.