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.

Two full tracks can be streamed as digital singles:

Young Man's Fancy

Sprinkle Your Bird

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 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!

 

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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!

The Sincerest Form of Flattery: 2025 Update

This post originally appeared back in December 2012, and was updated in 2016, 2019 and 2024. Since this seems to be an exponentially expanding topic -- and because adding to the original posts wouldn't call attention to the enhanced information, and since newer readers wouldn't know anything about the older versions -- this year brings yet another "repeat performance" with additional material. The sequence is chronological, and the new entries are bolded. Enjoy!

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While writing the final chapter of my book on Guaraldi, when it came time to briefly mention the unusual phenomenon of contemporary musicians who’ve chosen to cover the entire Charlie Brown Christmas score, I paused long enough to wonder whether this has happened very often.

Granted, jazz is a genre that encourages such behavior; consider the number of folks who’ve put their own stamp on, say, Miles Davis’ All Blues. But covering an entire album? Surely, that must be unusual.

And, indeed, it is ... but, by a curious coincidence, one of my other favorite jazz albums — also a TV score — has garnered the same attention: Henry Mancini’s iconic soundtrack for Peter Gunn. The series ran for three seasons, from September 1958 through September 1961, and Mancini produced two albums: The Music from Peter Gunn (1958) and More Music from Peter Gunn (1959).

To say that Mancini’s swingin’ themes made a splash would be an understatement. The first album reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop LP Chart, and suddenly everybody wanted a piece of the action. All sorts of folks covered the groovin' title theme, with Ray Anthony's version spending 17 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between January 5 and April 27, 1959; it peaked at No. 8 the week of March 2.

Ted Nash, Maxwell Davis and Pete Candoli had released the first cover album, titled simply Peter Gunn, the year before; Nash, Pete and Conte Candoli, calling themselves the Soundstage All Stars, followed with More Peter Gunn in 1959. Drummer Shelly Manne & His Men also released two albums in 1959: Play Peter Gunn and Son of Gunn. The Joe Wilder Quartet joined the fun in 1959, with Jazz from Peter Gunn; Ray Ellis and his Orchestra followed in 1960, with The Best of Peter Gunn. Manne & His Men returned to the well in 1967, with the outré Jazz Gunn (a little too far out for my taste, but that's just one vote).

It’s simple, really: When listeners really, truly love a particular score, they can’t get enough of it. Leonard Bernstein’s music for West Side Story is another good example; I couldn’t begin to tabulate all the jazz cover versions that album generated.

We therefore shouldn’t be surprised that Guaraldi’s beloved Christmas album has received the same treatment, and increasingly more often as time has passed.

But are they any good?

In most cases, yes, and well worth your time and money. And since this is the holiday season, it seems an appropriate time to discuss them all.

But let’s make it a bit more fun, and score the contestants according to my own whimsical parameters. Points therefore will be awarded for...

1) Covering all four of Guaraldi’s original tunes: “Christmas Time Is Here,” “Christmas Is Coming,” “Skating” and “Linus and Lucy” (5 points each, for a total of 20);

2) Covering all five of the traditional Christmas songs that Guaraldi arranged and included on the album: “O Tannenbaum,” “What Child Is This, (aka Greensleeves)” “My Little Drum (aka The Little Drummer Boy),” “The Christmas Song” and “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” (5 points each, for a total of 25);

3) Plus covering Beethoven’s “Für Elise” (25 point bonus);

4) And presenting them in the same album sequence (50 point bonus).

Fresh jazz covers of additional Christmas songs are nice, but count neither toward nor against the total score. Additional Guaraldi tunes also are welcome, and — again — count neither toward nor against the total score.

Finally, 10 points will be subtracted for unimaginatively calling the album A Charlie Brown Christmas, because that’s confusing. At the very least, the artist(s) in question should give their work some sort of original title.

Please note, though: The final tally applies solely to how faithful the cover elements are, and in no way reflects the musicality present. Jim Martinez’s album may score low in the “perfect cover” department, but it’s one of my favorites on this list.

Onward!

A Jolly Guaraldi Holiday 2025

Vince would be so gob-smacked.

By mid-December of 2023, this annual round-up of Guaraldi-themed concerts had grown to an astonishing 171 entries — several of which cited multiple bookings for the given group — which was a massive jump over 2022. It covered 37 American states, four Canadian provinces and two venues in the UK (London and Dublin).

Last December was a bit more modest, with "only" 142 entries ... but that's still stunning.

Will this year break that total?

Too soon to tell, since fresh bookings will continue to be announced throughout the first half of December.

Thus far, these 148 listings cover 37 American states, five Canadian provinces and one UK venue.

And here's a new aspect to this trend: A few groups each year also have scheduled Charlie Brown Thanksgiving shows. Assuming those prove equally popular, we can expect more of them, moving forward.

I first traced the history and growth of this delightful annual tradition back in 2012, with a modest schedule that now seems quaint. This year's post will serve as a clearinghouse for any and all 2025 concerts that come to my attention. As always, I'll add to this schedule as new information becomes available, so you'll want to check back frequently. New entries and listings will be tagged as UPDATES. 

Anybody with information about a show (or shows) not listed here, is encouraged to submit the information in a comment; please be as detailed as possible. Such comments will not be published, but the show(s) will be added to the roster.

Let's start with mainstay groups with busy touring schedules:

• Popular jazz pianist David Benoit traditionally headlines a concert tour of his Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown each December. This year's schedule kicks off Friday, November 28, in Hollywood, California, with subsequent stops in New York, New Jersey, and additional California venues. Check his website for details.

• UPDATE: Drummer Glen Paul and his trio have 16 performances of Guaraldi's music from A Charlie Brown Christmas scheduled from November 28 through December 21 at numerous venues throughout Ontario, Canada. Details.

• The Teri Parker Trio — Parker, piano, Christopher Kettlewell, bass; and Kyle Sullivan, drums — will present the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas at numerous Canadian venues in Ontario, starting November 30 and continuing through December 23. Details.

• The Ocean Avenue Stompers — Joe Gullace, trumpet; Ian Gray, trombone; Mark Masefield and Jeff Kazee, alternating on piano, Cody McCorry, bass; and Cameron Lockwood, drums — have a busy schedule of Charlie Brown Christmas performances beginning on Sunday, November 30 (three shows), at the Alternate Ending Beer Co. in Aberdeen, New Jersey; and concluding Sunday, December 21, at the Sperlak Sculpture Gardens in Cape May, New Jersey, with stops in between in Massachusetts and other New Jersey venues. Details.

• The Ornaments — Jen Gunderman, piano; Martin Lynds, bass; and James Haggaerty, drums — will be joined by special guest soloists for their 20th anniversary performances of music from A Charlie Brown Christmas during a busy schedule that runs from December 7-22: one show Sunday, December 7, at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee; one show Wednesday, December 10, at the Bend Theater in West Bend, Wisconsin; two shows Saturday, December 13, at the Temple Theater in Portland, Tennesee; and and 13 shows December 17-22, at the Eastside Bowl, in Nashville, Tennesee. Details. And do check out their 2011 live album.

• Doc Watkins and his Orchestra will begin their month-long Christmas in Jazz tributes to the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas at San Antonio's JazzTX, Texas, on Friday, November 28. Additional shows include November 30 and December 7 and 16-20. Details. They also scheduled a December 13 performance at the Majestic Theater, also in San Antonio. Details. The icing on the cake: Watkins' terrific 2022 album, The Music of A Charlie Brown Christmas; do check it out!

• The Eric Byrd Trio — Byrd, piano and vocals; Will Hazel, bass; and Alphonso Young Jr., drums and percussion — has made a cottage industry of Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas music, having thus far released two cover albums: a 2009 studio project, and a 2021 live performance. Byrd's combo begins its annual run on Sunday, November 30, in Washington, D.C., with subsequent performances in that Maryland and Pennsylvania, concluding Saturday, December 20. Details.

Are you listening?

Well, this is totally cool.

Between October 17 and 19, inclusive, brick-and-mortar music stores across the entire United States will host "listening parties" of Guaraldi's music from the many Peanuts TV specials. This event will take place in 43 states, plus the District of Columbia. (I guess Guaraldi fans in Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, North Dakota and Rhode Island are out of luck.)

Check out this page, to find a store closest to where you live, and here's the official RSD press release.

It would be amazing if everybody listened at exactly the same time ... but I realize that's impossible, given time zones, store hours and other parameters.

Sean and Jason Mendelson created a nifty, 54-minute playlist that features 22 tracks, with different versions of a few songs, which allows listeners to hear how Guaraldi's arrangements of a given tune evolved over time. The playlist is curated in between tracks, and concludes with an announcement about an upcoming release from Lee Mendelson Film Productions.

In a display of incredible patience and media-savvy enthusiasm, Sean and Jason recorded individual introductions for all 223 participating stores.

I look forward to hearing what participating fans — and readers of this blog — think of this event.

And here's a bonus: RSD also has mounted a contest, with some great Guaraldi and Peanuts swag. Ten lucky individuals will win these "Peanuts Packs," and you need only enter here to participate. The contest ends on October 25, so don't delay!

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We knew there would be even more, right?

That said, talk about being a last-minute Lucy ... Urban Outfitters just now — today — finally announced its picture disc vinyl version of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

I must say, the image is a perfect choice.

Additionally, Record Store Day has just announced a 60th anniversary vinyl edition of A Charlie Brown Christmas, with a pop-up gatefold (and standard black vinyl).

It will be released on November 28, during RSD's "Black Friday" events, again via your local brick-and-mortar music store.

As an interesting sidebar, I suddenly wondered when the bonus track version of "Greensleeves" was added to vinyl re-issues. Back in the day, I had thought that extra a feature solely of digital releases, but that absolutely wasn't the case. Indeed, the 12th track also was added to vinyl albums back in 1988, almost the same time CDs debuted.

So ... does that make earlier, 11-track versions of the album more collectible?

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Getting back to It's the Great Pumpkin, Guaraldi fans in the Chicago area are in for a treat. The Mich Shirey Trio's annual "Great Pumpkin Show" has proven so popular, they'll do four shows in the next few weeks:

• 9 p.m. Tuesday, October 21, at Sleeping Village. Details.

• 10:30 p.m. Saturday, October 25, at Lemon. Details.

• 7:30 p.m. Sunday, October 26, at Broken Shaker. Details.

• Thursday, October 30, at Tack Room. Details.

If this post prompts you to attend one or more of these shows, be sure to mention that to Mich; he likes to know how folks find out.

Vinyl Madness 2025: Part 2 (with a bonus)

Okay, I knew we'd get more, given that the 75th anniversary of the Peanuts comic strip debut is coming up on October 2...

...but seriously?

As my FiveCentsPlease blog colleague Scott suggested, we've now descended into vinyl insanity.

Truly, I feel sorry for the completists out there who are determined to get everything. (And I know you exist, because I hear from some of you.)

I'd love to think this is the final tally for what remains of 2025, but honestly ... I won't be surprised if a few more pop up, in the next month. If any more are announced, they'll be added to this post, so check back in a few weeks.

Meanwhile, let's dig in.

A previous blog post focused vinyl variants of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and A Charlie Brown Christmas, so we'll consider those two done. (Fingers crossed.)

So, let's move now to It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. And, as it happens...

...Target is offering a ghost-white, pumpkin-shaped LP, due for release Friday, September 26. It can be ordered here.

Urban Outfitters also has an exclusive picture-disc LP, released Friday, October 10.

Great image choice! It can be ordered here.

Record Store Day will feature this stunning 60th anniversary edition of A Charlie Brown Christmas, with a pop-up gatefold (and standard black vinyl).

It will be released November 28, during RSD's "Black Friday" events, via your local brick-and-mortar music store.

And here's a surprise: The famed "big three" Peanuts holiday specials aren't the only albums getting variant treatment, because...

...the recently released score for You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown is getting a "leaky pumpkin orange vinyl" from Urban Outfitters, due for release on October 17. It can be ordered here.

Actually, Urban Outfitters jumped into the game big-time this year, also with...

...a 4-inch yellow "tiny vinyl" excerpt from Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown, also due for release on October 17. It can be ordered here.

Peanuts Greatest Hits is getting two vinyl variants: the first a 75th anniversary picture disc, available Friday, September 26, at numerous sources; and an exclusive Urban Outfitters black and yellow disc, due October 17.

The picture disc can be ordered here (among other places), and the Urban Outfitters variant here.

But Urban Outfitters isn't done yet...

...because they're also offering an exclusive "crayons colored vinyl" version of Peanuts Portraits, due October 17. It can be ordered here.

So, you undoubtedly assume that's enough, right?

Nope.

Record Store Day's many brick-and-mortar outlets throughout the country also will offer exclusive CD releases on October 17, starting with...

...the awesome, six-disc box set of Vince Guaraldi: The Peanuts Collection (Volume 1) containing Lee Mendelson Film Productions' previous releases (same music, same mastering, same liner notes). The contents include the six albums cited below, bearing the new cover art also cited below. It can be ordered here.

Additionally, your favorite brick-and-mortar stores will offer half a dozen individual Peanuts special scores as CD releases — again, same music, same mastering, same liner notes — with "Indie exclusive cover art," starting with Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown and You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown:

Valentine can be ordered here; Elected can be ordered here.

Next up: "Indie exclusive cover art" versions of It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown and It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown:

Easter Beagle can be ordered here; Short Summer can be ordered here.

Finally (dare I say finally?), you can salivate over "Indie exclusive cover art" versions of You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown, and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving:

(So I guess we weren't done with Thanksgiving after all...) Good Sport can be ordered here; Thanksgiving can be ordered here.

So ... is that truly it, for the rest of the year? As I said above, while I'd love to think so, this year already has been full of surprises, so we shouldn't discount the possibility of one or two more.

Rest assured, if anything else pops up, you'll find out here.

Meanwhile ... better work extra hours, because your bank accounts are about to take a serious hit!

Another morning of Grace

The morning of Sunday, August 31, was sunny and mild in bucolic Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania: a lovely, late-summer day that would top out at a comfortable 75 degrees. When Constant Companion Gayna, our friend Scott and I arrived at the First Presbyterian Church at 8:30, the place already was bustling: chairs being placed, programs being stacked, and all manner of other duties necessary for the impending service.

Nor would this be just any service for “The Church on the Hill,” even by standards firmly established by The Rev. Bill Carter, during his lengthy stint as pastor. As befits one of many music-oriented signs proudly displayed — a sax against a church window, alongside the motto “Jazz belongs in Church” — everybody was racing through final preparations for a 60th anniversary re-enactment of the Vince Guaraldi Jazz Mass, which debuted in San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral, back on May 21, 1965.

 

Longtime readers of this blog will recall that Rev. Carter — who cheekily bills himself as “preacher and pianist” — leads his own Presbybop Jazz Combo, which has released numerous albums of Carter's original compositions and jazz-hued liturgical music. Longtime readers similarly will recall that Guaraldi’s Jazz Mass also was revived a decade ago, for its 50th anniversary, also at the First Presbyterian Church of Clarks Summit.

 

I concluded my report of the 2015 service by noting that Rev. Carter expressed a strong desire to revisit the Mass at some point. While he has yet to “take it on the road,” as he suggested back then, he definitely made good on that early promise.

 

I also was on hand the previous morning, August 30, during a rehearsal involving Rev. Carter (piano), Michael Carbone (sax and flute), Tony Marino (bass), cantors Frank Jones and Kate Leahy, and half a dozen choir members (a modest sampling of the full choirs of First Presbyterian Church and Our Lady of the Snows, a nearby Catholic Church, both of which would be present in full strength the next morning). I immediately was struck by the rich sound coming from the church’s gorgeous new grand piano — donated a few years ago by a grateful individual who chose to remain anonymous — and the very much improved sound system and speakers, granting awesome depth to each note, song and chant, in every corner of the worship hall. (I know, because I kept moving around.)

 

I also helped Rev. Carter unpack the enlarged photos, facsimile 1965 Grace Cathedral programs and other vintage materials that he carefully had saved since they last were used in 2015.

 

Now, on Sunday morning, the choir members began to arrive and take their seats. Cantor Jones — who also serves as the church’s director of music, and supervises the sound system and recording equipment — bounced from one duty to another, repeatedly pausing to answer a quick question from a choir member, or confer with Rev. Carter. The latter, in turn, led his combo — now joined by drummer Tyler Dempsey — through a few brief passages of several portions of the Mass, clarifying a segue here, a transition there.

 

(Marino and Dempsey also were part of the quartet during the 2015 presentation of Guaraldi’s Mass.)

Once more, with feeling!

Holy Communion Blues!

In addition to being a monumental general announcement, this is a shout-out to Guaraldi fans who live in or near Pennsylvania.

Longtime readers of this blog will recall the marvelous summer of 2015, when not one — but two! — 50th anniversary presentations of Vince Guaraldi's Jazz Mass took place: the first, a concert event, in none other than San Francisco's Grace Cathedral; and the second, a worship service, at the First Presbyterian Church of Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.

The latter was led by Bill Carter, church pastor since 1990 (!), who also — not coincidentally — has impressive keyboard chops, and has long headed his own Presbybop jazz combo. He spent the better part of a year transcribing Guaraldi's Jazz Mass (also detailed in this blog), since the music never had been written down. He also came to San Francisco for the concert version, the highlight of which was his impromptu four-hands keyboard solo with my good buddy Jim Martinez, the driving force behind that Grace Cathedral event.

(I've truly been blessed — since becoming Guaraldi's official biographer — by getting to know some special jazz folks, who've since become cherished friends.)

Well, hang onto your hats, folks ... apparently Bill wasn't satisfied with having overseen a 50th anniversary service; he has just announced a repeat for the 60th anniversay: 9:30 a.m. Sunday, August 31, once again at the First Presbyterian Church, 300 School Street, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania. Check out the official announcement here.

As was the case a decade ago, the event will begin when I give a brief recitation of how Guaraldi came to write his portion of the Mass, and the not-quite-a-year of rehearsal that took place with the mixed adult/children's choir of St. Paul's Church, in San Rafael, California, back in 1964 and '65.

In anticipation of this diamond anniversary, Bill and I had a delightful chat for WVIA, the local NPR radio station; you can listen to that here.

Needless to say, this will be a banner event, and a terrific way to conclude the summer of 2025. (Pay no attention to the calendar; everybody knows that summer ends after the Labor Day weekend.) 

I look forward to greeting any Guaraldi fans ambitious enough to make the journey.

And of course I'll give a detailed report, after the fact.

Vince would be gob-smacked to know, after all these years, that his Jazz Mass continues to resonate to such a degree. 

Vinyl Madness 2025: Part 1...

...because I’m certain of a Part 2 within another few weeks.

 

As befits this 75th anniversary year of Peanuts — October 2 is the actual diamond anniversary date — all manner of folks have jumped on the bandwagon: everything from clothes and plush, to toys, electronics and even art installations.

 

Needless to say, that list includes the two record labels dedicated to Guaraldi.

 

Vinyl variants of A Charlie Brown Christmas have been an annual tradition since 2014, but this year Craft Recordings — in partnership with numerous retailers — has pulled out all the stops.

 

But before discussing those, let’s first focus on the holiday that too frequently feels forgotten, between Halloween and Christmas.

Lee Mendelson Film Productions will issue a pair of Charlie Brown Thanksgiving variants: a picture disc, exclusive to Barnes & Noble (different from their 2024 picture disc); and a "yellow jelly bean" disc, exclusive to Record Store Day.

The Barnes & Noble album can be ordered here.

 

Information on Record Store Day’s participating brick-and-mortar outlets is here.

 

Both albums will be released on September 26.

 

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Moving on to A Charlie Brown Christmas...

 

To paraphrase Bette Davis from 1950’s All About Eve, "Fasten your seat belts; it’s going to be a bumpy ride!”

 

We’re anticipating nine vinyl variants. They’re all discussed in Craft’s official press release.

 

The snazziest is this zoetrope disc from Craft, scheduled for release on September 26:

 

It can be pre-ordered here, and do check out this nifty promotional video. (It also can be purchased at Amazon and your local brick-and-mortar record store, among other outlets.)

 

The most unusual release will be this 4-inch “tiny vinyl” from Target, with only one song on each side: “Linus & Lucy” and “Christmas Time Is Here.” It’ll be released on October 31, and can be pre-ordered here.

 

Craft also is releasing a standard black vinyl disc in a holographic foil jacket; Walmart is releasing a red and gold vinyl in a similar holographic foil jacket. Both will be available August 29. The Craft LP can be ordered here (and is available elsewhere, as well); the Walmart album can be ordered here.

 

Best Buy will issue a bright neon green vinyl disc in a holographic foil jacket; Craft also will feature a glitter-colored vinyl in a holographic foil jacket. Both also will be available August 29. Pre-order the Best Buy album here, and the Craft album here (and this one is exclusive to Craft).

 

Barnes & Noble will feature a truly nifty two-sided picture disc, available September 26 (and, again, it's different from previously released picture discs); Target’s second offering will be a tree-green disc in a holographic foil jacket, available October 10. Pre-order the Barnes & Noble disc here; and the Target album here.

 

Finally, Urban Outfitters will offer a “blizzard swirl” album in a holographic foil jacket; it's expected on October 17, and can be ordered here.

 

Folks interested in “one stop shopping” will find links for most of the above here, along with mention of numerous other iterations.

 

Craft hasn’t yet released details about its plans for It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown — which is ironic, since Halloween comes before the other two holidays! — although I am aware of a “ghost white” pumpkin-shaped vinyl, exclusive to Target, which can be ordered here. I'll include that when I got full information about Halloween releases, which should follow shortly in the promised Part 2.

 

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On an entirely different note (no pun intended)...

Folks with keyboard talents, and a desire to emulate Dr. Funk, will be pleased by the pending arrival of this new songbook from Hal Leonard: Music from Peanuts Holiday Specials. 

 

Sean and Jason Mendelson worked with the publisher, to select the best tracks from the more recently released TV special scores.

 

The complete song list:

 

• Charlie Brown Theme

• Charlie Brown's Wake-Up

• Charlie's Blues

• Christmas Is Coming

• Christmas Time Is Here

• Easter Theme

• Graveyard Theme

• The Great Pumpkin Waltz

• Heartburn Waltz

• Linus And Lucy

• Linus And Lucy - Easter Beagle Edition

• Little Birdie

• Marcie's Song (Kitchen Music)

• Never Again

• Paw Pet Overture

• Peppermint Patty

• Red Baron

• Skating

• Thanksgiving Theme

• Woodstock's Dream

 

Although some of the above have appeared in previous songbook collections, roughly half have been transcribed for the first time. The book can be preordered here.

Time to flex those fingers! 

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And, one final note: I spent an enjoyable half-hour discussing Guaraldi on the most recent edition of Davisville, the local public affairs radio show hosted by longtime journalist Bill Buchanan. He has been very generous about granting me air time to discuss my biography, and other Guaraldi-related matters. You can listen to the show here.