The Trident: Rest in peace

This publicity photo of the Vince Guaraldi Trio — with Monty Budwig, bass; and Colin
Bailey, drums — likely was taken during the combo's early 1962 booking at The Trident.

Alas, another link to Guaraldi’s past has disappeared. I just learned that the newest incarnation of The Trident closed on December 31, thanks to this San Francisco Chronicle article.

Back in July 2020, I wrote an extensive post about the history of this Sausalito venue, which was intertwined with Guaraldi’s early career for many years.

 

As a brief recap — with a few fresh details — in late May 1960, the owner of Sausalito’s French restaurant, Ondine, opened a second dining establishment on the ground floor of their building, at 558 Bridgeway Street. The new supper club was called The Yacht Dock, reflecting the fact that customers could arrive by boat, if so desired. (Which, you must admit, is pretty cool!)

 

Guaraldi and his trio are known to have played that venue at least once, from June 9 through mid-July, 1961. After that booking concluded, the Yacht Dock closed for renovation by new owners Brad McNutt, the Kingston Trio and their manager, Frank Werber. The venue reopened on August 8, newly christened as The Trident. Arriving by boat remained a popular option.

 

Guaraldi and his second “classic trio” — alongside Monty Budwig, bass; and Colin Bailey, drums — played there six nights a week, until December 3. They returned on January 7, 1962, and remained the headliners until July 1.

 

Monty Budwig had moved on when Guaraldi got his next Trident gig, from November 6 through January 6, 1963, and was replaced by Fred Marshall. Guaraldi’s live album, In Person, was recorded midway through that run, on December 4.

Portions of Woody Allen's 1972 film, Play It Again, Sam, were filed at The Trident (but, alas,
Guaraldi wasn't around during shooting).

Subsequent known Trident bookings included:

• April 16-May 12, 1963, with Marshall and Jerry Granelli, drums;

 

• June 25-September 14, 1963, with Marshall and Granelli;

 

• February 4 and 11, 1967, sidemen unknown;

 

• April 11-May 7, with Kelly Ryan, bass, and John Rae, drums;

 

• July 9-21, with Guaraldi’s new Electric Umbrella Quartet, alongside Jimmy Stewart, electric guitar, Bob Maize, electric bass, and Bob Dominguez, drums;

 

• August 13-18, with the Electric Umbrella Quartet; and

 

• October 23, 1972, sidemen unknown, sharing the bill with the Cal Tjader Quintet, in a benefit for South Dakota Sen. George McGovern’s bid to become U.S. President.

 

By then, the Trident was several years into its re-invention as a free-spirited rock joint. It closed on November 21, 1976 (not in 1980, as the Chronicle article incorrectly reported, no doubt having sourced that date from the Trident’s own occasionally inaccurate web site history).

 

The building reopened in 1980 as a tourist venue dubbed Horizons, which closed in 2012. The owners of San Francisco’s Buena Vista Café bought the property in 1997, with the eventual goal of reviving The Trident, and it reopened under that name in October 2012. So, that second incarnation lasted just over 13 years … which isn’t bad for a restaurant, in these tough times.

 

The Marin Independent Journal ran a nice story about the Trident’s history, last Friday; it goes into considerable detail about the numerous musicians and film stars who frequented the venue … although, oddly, the final paragraph encourages readers to “stop by to pay homage,” which would be a challenge at this point!

 

Will the building be transformed into something else?

Stay tuned… 

A bittersweet anniversary ... and an amazing treat

Fifty years ago today, likely in the late afternoon, Vince Guaraldi would have smiled in satisfaction.

He and his trio members — Seward McCain, bass; and Jim Zimmerman, drums — had just completed the third and final recording session for the 15th Peanuts TV special, It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown, at San Francisco’s Wally Heider Studio. They probably had dinner together: either somewhere in the city, or en route to Menlo Park, where they then took the stage for the first set of their ongoing Friday evening performances at Butterfield’s, the supper club where Guaraldi’s trio had been in residence since the spring of 1974.

 

“We played to a pretty full house the first set, and it was quite good,” McCain recalled. “The last song we played was ‘Eleanor Rigby,’ and Vince had a nice, exciting version.”

 

After the set concluded, Zimmerman followed Guaraldi into the adjacent Red Cottage Inn, where they had a regular “green room” in which to kick back between sets.

 

“Vince was feeling sick to his stomach,” Zimmerman recalled, speaking with the precision of one who has carried every little detail in his head, during all the intervening years. “He got up, maybe to go to the bathroom … and went down.”

 

And died. That quickly.

 

I cannot imagine the overwhelming grief in that moment, or during the next days, weeks and months, as his family, friends and colleagues mourned his passing. He was a force of nature who could suck all the air out of a room, who delighted in becoming the center of attention. 

 

But I certainly understand the sense of loss — of what his ensuing career could have been — from this distant remove.

 

It also hit me personally, at the time. I was in my third year at UC Davis, already many years into being an avid Guaraldi fan. I knew he performed regularly in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, but — key detail — I didn’t have a car. I figured that didn’t matter; what was the rush? Guaraldi was only 47; surely there was plenty of time.

 

But no.

 

The somber gravity of this day — 50 years later — has been assuaged, to a degree, by the folks at Lee Mendelson Film Productions. Today they’ve debuted two special items.

 

The first is a sweetly edited series of interviews with McCain, Zimmerman, drummer Lee Charlton and Lee Mendelson, sharing their memories of Vince’s passing, and his influence, and the loss to the jazz world. Be warned: It’s quite sad, in spots.

 

The second, however, will bring a smile to your face. Indeed, you just might let out a cheer.

 

I refer you to this earlier post, when I explained what brought Guaraldi, guitarist Bola Sete, bassist Tom Beeson and drummer John Rae to San Francisco’s KQED Channel 9 studios on August 21, 1964, to record a series of short music “fills” that would air at the end of each episode of the imported British series Stories of Guy de Maupassant. Sete did two solo numbers, then joined Guaraldi’s trio for a quartet reading of “Star Song.” That concluded Sete’s participation, after which Guaraldi’s trio played three songs; the session finished when Guaraldi soloed on two takes of “Treat Street.”

 

Thanks to months of negotiations, Lee Mendelson Film Productions was able to obtain permission to share one of the trio numbers.

 

This is the only known video recording of Guaraldi and his trio performing his iconic Peanuts theme, “Linus and Lucy.” And take note of the aforementioned date: August 21, 1964. Months before jazz fans would be able to hear the tune on the album Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown, and well over a year before the nation at large would hear “Linus and Lucy” while watching A Charlie Brown Christmas.

So: This is both a sad day, and a happy day. Guaraldi still is very much with us, and — as I’ve been saying, during the past few years — some of us are doing our best to ensure that he’ll become an American “evergreen” composer, like George Gershwin and Cole Porter. Heck, why stop there? Assuming Schroeder doesn’t mind, let’s make Vince an American Beethoven.

Blessings to the folks at Lee Mendelson Film Productions!

Plant a tree ... and batter up! (plus a few more notable items)

Vince Guaraldi's first known gig, on my timeline, was at San Francisco's Cable Car Village, as part of saxman Chuck Travis' Quartet. The booking began on April 12, 1951, and ran for an unknown number of days, or weeks.

That makes this year — 2026 — the diamond anniversary of the world's initial exposure to Dr. Funk's popular and immediately recognizable music.

Bearing that in mind, the folks at Lee Mendelson Film Productions are getting the year off to a roaring start, with the debut of full scores to 1976's It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown and 1966's Charlie Brown's All Stars! — the 15th and second Peanuts TV specials, respectively — packaged together on a single release.

I must confess, though, the moment is bittersweet. My obvious delight in this album's arrival is compromised by the knowledge that Arbor Day was the last Peanuts score Guaraldi completed, before his untimely death (about which, a bit more below). 

The album features 24 tracks: 17 from Arbor Day, including two bonus alternate tracks; followed by the music from Charlie Brown’s All Stars!, mixed into seven tracks. Both scores include "Rain, Rain, Go Away,” one of Guaraldi's most soulful compositions. Their book-ended presence here allows listeners to see how Dr. Funk's approach to the tune evolved during the intervening decade.

The version for Arbor Day was one of the final songs Guaraldi recorded. He and his combo laid it down on the afternoon of February 6, 1976, at San Francisco's Wally Heider Studio. That same evening, he unexpectedly passed away while performing at Butterfield’s, in Menlo Park. Guaraldi was only 47. 

All Stars! features a sextet: Guaraldi is joined by John Coppola and Frank Snow, trumpet; Eddie Duran, guitar; Eugene “Puzzy” Firth, bass; and Lee Charlton, drums. Guaraldi returned to his trio roots for Arbor Day, performing alongside Seward McCain, bass; and Jim Zimmerman, drums.

(Note: The tracks for All Stars! were pulled from a 35mm negative soundtrack tape, because the original studio session tapes haven't yet been found.)  

The 34-minute album will be available March 20, on a 12-inch 33 RPM black or "Forest Green" BioVinyl LP in a Gatefold Jacket, and on CD and digitally.

They can be preordered here.

Physical releases feature liner notes by album producers Sean and Jason Mendelson; and an historical essay by Mine Own Self. The liner notes also feature rare photographs and images from the specials.

Lee Mendelson Film Productions also is partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation: For every physical copy of this album purchased in 2026, LMFP will plant one tree in a forest of need, with a minimum annual support of 12,000 trees. 

Read the full LMFP press release here, where you can hear brief samples from five tracks.

Three full tracks can be streamed as digital singles:

Young Man's Fancy

Sprinkle Your Bird

Rain, Rain, Go Away (Gentle Rain)

Track Listing:

It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown 

1. Rerun’s Lament

2. Rerun’s Lament (Reprise)

3. Ships Sailinto Arbor

4. Laughter in the Library

5. Flatten Patten (Baseball Theme)

6. Young Man's Fancy

7. Jay Sterling Morton Jazz

8. We're the Visiting Team

9. Seeds for Thought (Joe Cool)

10. Don't Forget the Shovel

11. Sprinkle Your Bird

12. Snoopy at Bat

13. Lucy's Home Run

14. Rain, Rain, Go Away (Rain, Gentle Rain)

15. Happy Arbor Day, Charlie Brown

16. Jay Sterling Morton Jazz (Bonus Alternate Take)

17. Happy Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (Bonus Alternate Take)

Charlie Brown’s All Stars!

18. Charlie's Run

19. Charlie Brown's All Stars!

20. Baseball Theme (Medley)

21. Oh, Good Grief!

22. Surfin' Snoopy (Air Music)

23. Pebble Beach

24. Rain, Rain, Go Away

But wait ... that's not all!

On April 18, participating Record Store Day brick-and-mortar outlets will feature a special version of these scores, on two discs in a single package: a 10-inch "Clear Baseball" 45 RPM LP of It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown, and a 12-inch, die-cut glove-shaped 45 RPM LP of Charlie Brown’s All Stars! The first disc will feature all but the two bonus tracks from Arbor Day, and the second disc will feature the full score from All Stars! 

The LMFP press release for this special item can be read here.

The RSD exclusive will be available solely at participating Record Store Day stores, in limited quantities; you'll need to visit a store in person, to buy a copy. The RSD Store Finder page can be found here, or you can contact your local brick-and-mortar shop to see if they're participating, and expecting copies.

Better get in line early!

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Not to be outdone, Craft Recordings has just announced a new edition of 1965's From All Sides, the second of three album collaborations between Guaraldi and guitarist Bola Sete. The set list features eight tunes delivered in a cool bossa nova style; highlights include "The Girl from Ipanema," "A Taste of Honey," a sassy Guaraldi original titled "Ballad of Pancho Villa," and "Menino Pequeno da Bateria." Listeners will immediately recognize the latter is an early incarnation of "My Little Drum" ("Little Drummer Boy"), soon to find its way into the soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas.

This new edition of the album is released as part of the Original Jazz Classics Series, on 180-gram vinyl pressed at RTI, with all-analog mastering by Kevin Gray, from the original stereo tapes (AAA) at Cohearent Audio, and a Stoughton Tip-On Jacket.

It will be available on both vinyl and as high-res digital, released on February 27. (No CD version.)

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To add more fun to this year's 75th anniversary celebration of Guaraldi's music, check out this playlist of Vince Guaraldi Peanuts tracks, with occasional commentary by Sean Mendelson, originally created for a Record Store Day listening party in October 2025, and now avaialble on YouTube. It's a nice selection of tracks, pulled from the albums released thus far.

Bits & Bobs: Early 2026

We’re scarcely into the new year, and the folks at Lee Mendelson Film Productions already have new treats for fans of vinyl variants.

This Friday, January 16, will see the release of two new versions of Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown.

 

The first, a Record Store Day Indie exclusive shown at left, is a heart-shaped 45 RPM disc packaged in a Valentines Day card invitation. It can be pre-ordered here.

 

The track list is (of necessity) an abbreviated sampling of the full 2024 album:

 

SIDE A

“Heartburn Waltz”

“Paw Pet Overture”

“Heartburn Waltz (4th Reprise)

“Freddie’s Mood”

“Never Again”

 

SIDE B

“Charlie Brown’s Wake-Up”

“Woodstock’s Revenge”

“Jennie L.”

“There’s Been a Change”

“Heartburn Waltz (8th Reprise)”

The second, a Barnes & Noble exclusive, is a standard double-sided picture disc with the full score and bonus tracks (details of which can be read in this earlier post).

 

It can be pre-ordered here.

 

Unrequited love continues to be quite sweet!

 

********

 

Guaraldi began his professional career in 1951, which makes 2026 the 75th anniversary of his initial — and still expanding — impact on the world. (February 6 also will be the 50th anniversary of his passing.)

By way of honoring this milestone, Sean Mendelson just posted this nifty video montage of Guaraldi and his career. Check it out!

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Last year’s 75th anniversary of Peanuts — and the 60th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas — prompted an impressive level of media attention (along with a jaw-dropping variety of new merchandise, clothing, collectibles and all manner of other products).

 

I enjoyed my own 15 minutes of fame during the final two months of 2025, mostly as the go-to “Guaraldi guy” sought by varied publications and news outlets. It was a heady rush, particularly since several of the interviews occurred within days of each other (although the results weren’t published or broadcast until a bit later).

 

First up was a free-wheeling (almost) hour as the guest on Episode 5, Series 3, of the You Don’t Know Peanuts Podcast, co-hosted by Melissa Menta and Damian Holbrook, which debuted November 6. I had a lot of fun with that one, because Melissa and Damian allowed me to share the never-before-revealed details behind how I came to possess my own meticulously researched version of The Complete Peanuts … years before Fantagraphics made that an actual thing (a saga that clearly reveals how crazy — and stubborn — I can be, in pursuit of something).

The final two weeks of December then became a blur. On December 19, I once again spent half an hour as a live, on-air guest on the Morning Show on WCLO “Big Radio” in Janesville, Wisconsin. This has become an annual tradition, since December 2022; Producer Tom Edwards insists that WCLO’s listeners look forward to these yearly chats, so who am I to argue? 

 

Four days later, the December 23 10 p.m. edition of Sacramento Channel 13’s CBS Evening News included a beautifully assembled 3-minute spot devoted to how California’s Capital City played a key role in Guaraldi’s involvement with the Peanuts franchise. The spot’s text introduction is here, and the video is here.

 

The next day, Anna Holmes’ marvelous article about her personal holiday experiences with A Charlie Brown Christmas debuted in The Atlantic, no less. I was just one of many folks with whom she chatted: Jason Mendelson; Benjamin Clark, curator of the Charles M. Schulz Museum; Sig Sigworth, president of Craft Recordings; and jazz pianists Cyrus Chestnut and David Benoit. The resulting piece is a joy to read; Holmes deftly weaves words, thoughts and emotions together … much the way Guaraldi composed his music.

Finally, a few days after we greeted 2026, Chris Hadley’s article for the January issue of Film Score Monthly debuted. Alas, the one — The Legacy of A Charlie Brown Christmas — is behind a paywall; you’d need to subscribe, in order to read it.

I seriously doubt I’ll ever again enjoy that much time in the media spotlight, but — as the saying goes — it was a lot of fun, while it lasted!