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!

 

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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!

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.

Record Store Day surprises!

Guaraldi fans are in for quite a treat, when April 12 — Record Store Day — rolls around.

We’re already primed for the upcoming release of It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown, as detailed in this earlier post.

But as an additional bonus, the folks at Lee Mendelson Film Productions have just announced a Record Day exclusive of this album: individually foil-stamped and numbered, on — are you ready for this? — egg-shaped vinyl. To drive folks even crazier, the LPs will come in five different colors ... and they’re “mystery colors.” You won’t know what you’ve got, until you take it home and check it out.

Additional details can be found on the official LMFP press release, and full details about all of the album’s iterations are available on this LMFP master release.

But wait ... there’s more!

The crafty folks at Craft Recordings (sorry, couldn’t resist) have kept this release secret until now: a Record Store Day exclusive version of Guaraldi’s Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown.

But no; not the 1964 album that we all know and love. 

This LP will feature new and unreleased alternate takes of songs from the original recording sessions!

 

Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown (Alternate Takes) features two alternate versions of “Linus and Lucy,” including an early studio test; outtakes of “Oh, Good Grief”; the charming ode to fellow pianist “Schroeder”; the sweepingly carefree “Baseball Theme,” and more. 

“It’s not a children’s album,” All About Jazz pointed out, “but rather a top-notch series of breezy jazz treatments.”

 

This edition is pressed on sky-blue vinyl, limited to 3,400 copies, and mixed and mastered from the original analog sources by Grammy Award-winning engineer Paul Blakemore. The lacquers were cut by Matthew Lutthans at Cohearent Audio.

 

The track list:

 

Side A

1. Linus and Lucy (Studio Test)

2. Linus and Lucy (Take 3)

3. Happiness Theme (Happiness Is) (Take 4)

4. Pebble Beach (Take 7)

5. Baseball Theme (Take 1)

6. Oh, Good Grief (Take 1)

7. Schroeder (Take 3)

8. Baseball Theme (Take 2)

9. Oh, Good Grief (Take 1 / Later Session)

 

Side B

1. Schroeder (Take 2)

2. Blues for Peanuts

3. Charlie Brown Theme (Take 4)

4. Blue Charlie Brown (Take 1)

5. Frieda (With the Naturally Curly Hair) (Take 1)

Double-CD and digital release will occur on April 4; see this updated post.

This album is one of Craft's seven RSD releases; full details are here.

The complete list of RSD exclusives can be found at the Record Store Day website, which also includes a list of participating stores across the country. But remember: That list never is complete, so it’s best to call your favorite brick-and-mortar record store, in order to reserve or purchase one or both of these albums.

And should it prove necessary, on April 12 ... get in line early! 

Heart and soul!

Valentine's Day will come early next year.

January 17 will see the first-ever release of Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack to Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown.

This soundtrack debut will be one of the first highlights during what promises to be an exciting 75th anniversary year of the Peanuts comic strip, which debuted October 2, 1950. It'll also mark the 50th anniversary of this TV special, which debuted on January 28, 1975.

The album will be available in the usual formats: LP, CD and digital download. LP collectors will have three options, starting with the traditional black vinyl, available at Amazon and the usual mainstream outlets. As always, potential future albums of Guaraldi's Peanuts scores will depend on sales of each new release ... so buy one for yourself, and a second as a gift for a friend!

(Shop locally, if possible. Support your brick-and-mortar retailer!)

Additionally, a "Puppy Love Pink" BioVinyl variant will be available as a Barnes & Noble exclusive:

And a limited-edition "Heartburn Red" BioVinyl variant will be available as a Record Store Day exclusive, on April 12, 2025:

All options feature detailed liner notes by my humble self, and producers Sean and Jason Mendelson. 

The album's Lee Mendelson Film Productions web page can be viewed here, which includes ordering links and four sample tracks. The full LMFP press release is here.

(Bear in mind that the Record Store Day page doesn't list all participating outlets, so it'll be wise to check with your local shop.)

As had become tradition by the time this 13th Peanuts TV special went into production, Guaraldi composed all the music, which was performed by his trio, under the supervision of John Scott Trotter. Guaraldi handled all the keyboard elements, on piano, Fender Rhodes and ARP String Ensemble synthesizer; he also added occasional soft guitar licks. Seward McCain played bass, and Vince Lateano handled the drum work.

Guaraldi took a different direction with this special’s score, and made a point of not using most of his familiar Peanuts cues, such as “Peppermint Patty,” “Red Baron” and “Blue Charlie Brown.” Although “Linus and Lucy” briefly surfaces twice, the arrangements are so novel, that casual listeners could be excused for thinking they’re entirely different melodies. This approach was intentional, because Guaraldi's score is a “tone poem tapestry,” designed to reinforce the melancholy atmosphere of various love’s labors lost. That’s particularly true of quietly thoughtful tracks such as “Never Again,” “There’s Been a Change,” “Charlie Brown’s Wake-up” and “Jennie L.” (Although no Peanuts character ever had the latter name, the tune must be a tribute to Vince's grandmother, Jenny L. Marcellino. What better time to do this, than in a love-themed Valentine's show?)

The album's 30 tracks feature the show's 22 score cues, followed by seven alternate takes and bonus mixes. The final track, "Last Call for Love," is a true bonus: When the recording session concluded, the trio jammed on a bluesy 6-minute piece, which features a truly terrific solo from McCain. 

Score tracks:

1. Heartburn Waltz

2. Heartburn Waltz (Reprise)

3. Linus and Lucy

4. Valentine Interlude #1 / Heartburn Waltz (2nd Reprise)

5. Piano Sonata No. 20 in G Major, Op. 49 No. 2 - 1. Allegro ma non troppo, by Ludwig van Beethoven

6. Heartburn Waltz (3rd Reprise)

7. Linus and Lucy (Reprise)

8. Paw Pet Overture

9. Freddie's Mood (Nocturne in E Flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2 by Frederic Chopin)

10. Heartburn Waltz (4th Reprise)

11 Never Again

12 Music Box Dance (Minuet in G Major, BWV Anh. 116, by Johann Sebastian Bach)

13. Woodstock's Mambo

14. Heartburn Waltz (5th Reprise)

15. Jennie L.

16. Heartburn Waltz (6th Reprise)

17. Valentine Interlude #2 / Heartburn Waltz (7th Reprise)

18. There's Been a Change

19. Woodstock's Revenge

20. Charlie Brown's Wake-Up

21. Heartburn Waltz (Reprise)

22. Freddie's Mood (Show Version)

Bonus tracks:

23. Heartburn Waltz (Bonus Mix)

24. Jennie L. (Alternate Take)

25. Heartburn Waltz (Alternate Take)

26. Woodstock's Mambo (Bonus Mix)

27. Heartburn Waltz (Reprise) (Bonus Mix)

28. There's Been a Change (Alternate Take)

29. Heartburn Waltz (5th Reprise) (Bonus Mix)

30. Last Call for Love

The folks at Lee Mendelson Film Productions will get the New Year off to a terrific start!

A kinder, gentler Election

It has been a busy summer.

Hot on the heels of Guaraldi’s never-before-released score for It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown, the similarly never-before-released score for the eighth prime-time Peanuts TV special, You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown, will debut on September 6 on CD, 12-inch BioVinyl and via digital download. Pre-orders are available now, at the usual outlets. 

 

A Woodstock Yellow BioVinyl variant will be available as a Record Store Day Exclusive.

 

Check out the Lee Mendelson Film Productions press release here.

 

Guaraldi — on keyboards, vocals and guitar — is joined by Tom Harrell, trumpet; Pat O’Hara, trombone; Mel Martin, clarinet, soprano sax and piccolo; Seward McCain, bass and flute; and Glenn Cronkhite, drums. John Scott Trotter was music supervisor. This album is produced by Sean Mendelson and Jason Mendelson; remixed at Bones and Knives by Terry Carleton; and restored and re-mastered by Vinson Hudson.

 

The album features the 16 studio recordings which became the TV special’s score, along with nine bonus/alternative tracks.

Show score:

1. "Incumbent Waltz"

2. "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown"

3. "Oh, Good Grief!"

4. "Cookin' Snoopy (Fast Piano Jazz)"

5. "Blue Charlie Brown"

6. "Incumbent Waltz (Reprise)"

7. "Linus and Lucy"/"Poor Charlie Brown"

8. "Joe Cool (Vocal)"

9. "Incumbent Waltz (Second Reprise)"

10. "Elect Linus (Dilemma)"/"Woodstock's Wake Up"

11. "Joe Cool (Unused Reprise)"

12. "Oh, Good Grief! (Reprise)"

13. "Deserted Charlie Brown"

14. "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown (Reprise)"

15. "Linus and Lucy (Reprise)"

16. "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown (Second Reprise: End Credits)"

Bonus Content

17. "Joe Cool (Alternate Take 1)"

18. "Joe Cool (Alternate Rehearsal Take)"

19. "Blue Charlie Brown (Alternate Take 1)"

20. "African Sleigh Ride (Bonus Track)"

21. "Cookin' Snoopy (Fast Piano Jazz; Alternate Takes 1, 2 and 3)"

22. "Incumbent Waltz (Second Reprise, Alternate Take 1)"

23. "Incumbent Waltz (Second Reprise, Alternate Take 3)"

24. "Incumbent Waltz (Unused Cue)"

25. "Linus and Lucy (Acoustic Piano Mix)"

Four tracks can be previewed here.

 

Music highlights include a terrific arrangement of "Joe Cool” — much longer than what is heard in the special — which boasts nifty flute and guitar touches. Other tasty treats include an unexpectedly peppy handling of “Blue Charlie Brown,” two delightful variations on “Linus and Lucy,” and McCain’s deft bass work on “Oh, Good Grief (Reprise).”

 

The LPs and CDs are eco-conscious. The LPs are made with BioVinyl, a new product that replaces petroleum in S-PVC by recycling used cooking oil or industrial waste, resulting in considerable CO₂ savings compared to traditional PVC. Each record also comes in a reusable, compostable PLA bag made of 99% renewable material. The jacket, label and liner notes are made from sustainably forested trees, for minimum ecological harm. (None of these modifications sacrifices acoustic or optical quality.) The CDs also are made of recycled material, and their paper content comes from sustainably forested trees.

 

All physical copies feature extensive liner notes by my very own self, along with similarly detailed notes by Sean Mendelson, son of Peanuts producer Lee Mendelson. The LP release also includes rare photographs and images from the original tape boxes: recent re-discoveries that led to this release.

 

Remember: The ongoing wave of these "new" soundtracks depends upon the sales generated by each release ... so buy one for yourself, and a second copy as a gift for a friend! 

Bits & bobs: late spring 2024

The colored vinyl craze shows no sign of letting up.

When the soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving debuted last October, fans of solid media had a choice of formats: CD, plain black vinyl, Record Store Day's jelly bean green vinyl, and Target's cranberry vinyl.

Bet you thought that would be it, right?

Nope.

Those vinyl color variants blew out so quickly, many folks never even saw one in person, let alone were able to purchase one. Well, you'll have another chance. This coming October 18, participating Record Store Day outlets will unveil yet another vinyl variant: jelly bean purple! Details are here.

If you're late to the party, or need a reminder about the album details, check out this earlier post.

Honestly, my LP shelves are sagging...!

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Back in early 2022, I ran a post about how the folks at Lee Mendelson Film Productions, in collaboration with Hal Leonard Publishing, had made (initally) 18 of Guaraldi's less well-known Peanuts themes and cues available via downloadable sheet music folios. 

Quite a few more subsequently were released, as you can discover by doing a search at Sheet Music Direct for "Vince Guaraldi." (It helps to narrow the search by sub-selecting "Piano Solo.")

Folks who prefer old-fashioned songbooks (and I'm one of them) will be pleased to learn that Hal Leonard has published 20 of these themes and cues in a book titled The Peanuts Piano Collection. It isn't new -- having been issued in May 2022 -- but I never got around to mentioning it ... until now.

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The new content in the just-published second edition of my Guaraldi biography includes an appendix that lists the use of Guaraldi's music in popular culture ... which is to say, TV shows and movies. I tried to make it authoritative as of publication date, but (of course!) this is the sort of data that quickly becomes incomplete.

Case in point: director Richard Linklater's audacious new film Hit Man, which had a brief theatrical release beginning May 24, and then debuted on Netflix on June 7. The film's charms are many, and I can't recommend it enthusiastically enough; check out my full-length review. (For those unaware, I wear many hats; I've also been a film critic since ...  well, way back in the day.)

The story is set in New Orleans, and the soundtrack is laden with songs by longtime local stalwarts such as Jelly Roll Morton and Dr. John, along with rising newcomers Rob49 and Tuba Skinny. You'll also hear a very familiar tune twice during the film, most memorably during the end credits: Allen Toussaint's gorgeous cover of "Cast Your Fate to the Wind."

Now, I'd like to think that my recommendation — and the involvement of Linklater and stars Glen Powell and Adria Arjona — would be sufficient motivation ... but if you're still wavering, how can you miss this opportunity to hear Guaraldi's signature tune in such a setting? 

Thanksgiving comes early this year!

Big news, gang.

 

We’ve all held our breath since late last year, hoping that the reception for the Definitive, Super Deluxe Charlie Brown Christmas — and the recently discovered, isn’t-it-fabulous original session recordings that produced a superior soundtrack for Great Pumpkin -- would translate, moving forward, into additional releases from Guaraldi’s Peanuts canon.

 

It has come to pass.

 

October 20 will see the debut of the full soundtrack from A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, just in time for the 1973 special’s 50th anniversary: 13 themes and cues used in the show, along with nine never-before-heard bonus and alternative tracks. The album will be available in three states: CD, vinyl and digital download.

 

Check out the official press release here.

 

Pre-order the CD from MVD here.

 

Pre-order the standard (black vinyl) LP from MVD here.

Pre-order the above CD or LP from Amazon here and here.

Pre-order the special Record Store Day jelly bean green vinyl LP here.

Pre-order the Target exclusive cranberry vinyl LP here.

The track list:

 

Show score:

    1. Charlie Brown Blues

    2. Thanksgiving Theme

    3. Thanksgiving Theme (Reprise)

    4. Peppermint Patty

    5. Little Birdie

    6. Thanksgiving Interlude

    7. Is It James or Charlie?

    8. Linus and Lucy

    9. Fife & Drums Theme

    10. Charlie Brown Blues (Reprise)

    11. Thanksgiving Interlude (Reprise)

    12. Thanksgiving Theme (2nd Reprise)

    13. Thanksgiving Theme (3rd  Reprise)

 

Bonus/Alternate tracks:

    14. Thanksgiving Theme (Alternate)

    15. Peppermint Patty (Bonus Mix)

    16. Linus and Lucy (Bonus Mix)

    17. Thanksgiving Interlude (Alternate take 2, 4, and 6)

    18. Thanksgiving Interlude (Alternate take 10)

    19. Thanksgiving Interlude (Alternate take 14)

    20. Is It James or Charlie? (Bonus mix with Whistling)

    21. Clark and Guaraldi

Preview Track 16 here.

Preview Track 20 here.

 

The recording features Vince Guaraldi, piano, keyboards and vocals; Tom Harrell, trumpet and brass arrangements; Chuck Bennett, trombone; Seward McCain, electric bass; and Mike Clark, drums. The album is produced by Sean and Jason Mendelson, re-mixed by Terry Carleton at Bones and Knives, and restored and mastered/re-mastered by Vinson Hudson.

 

Avid Guaraldi fans have long regarded this Emmy Award-winning TV special as a favorite, which is no surprise; the show is wall-to-wall music, bouncing between acoustic and electric keyboards, going silent only during Linus’ gentle sermon about the first Thanksgiving (a speech almost as eloquent as the one he delivers in Charlie Brown Christmas).

 

That sequence aside, Guaraldi was allowed to stretch and supply longer cues, each one beginning as the previous one fades. The show boasts three new tunes, starting with a lyrical title theme constructed from acoustic piano filigrees that evoke the keyboard cascades in “Skating.” An impudent cue titled “Is It James or Charlie?” adds a bit of James Brown sass to the mix; and the stand-out newcomer is Guaraldi’s vocal on “Little Birdie,” played at length when Snoopy — tasked with setting up the outdoor dining arrangements — wrestles with a basketball net, a garage door, a ping-pong table and an impressively sentient folding chair. 

 

Returning cues include one of Guaraldi’s best arrangements of “Linus and Lucy,” with brass adding a spirited counterpoint to the primary theme, and also shading a new four-chord climb at the end of each verse’s fourth measure: heard while Snoopy orchestrates the Thanksgiving “dinner” of buttered toast, popcorn, pretzels, jelly beans and ice cream parfaits. “Peppermint Patty” gets a quiet, leisurely arrangement on electric keyboard: perfectly echoing the girl’s coquettish side, notably when she flirts with Charlie Brown over the phone, while inviting herself — and Marcie and Franklin — to a party that doesn’t yet exist. 

 

The show’s final reprise of the title theme introduces a sparkling brass counterpoint: a terrific conclusion to a half-hour of solid combo jazz.

What’s not to love?

Bits & bobs

Followers of this blog will recall that the various special releases promised for last year's Record Store Day — on Saturday, June 12 — included Guaraldi's “Baseball Theme,” pressed for the very first time as a stand-alone, 7-inch single. Alas, supply-chain issues and the ongoing vinyl shortage resulted in numerous titles being postponed or canceled; the Guaraldi single was one of the casualties.

Good news, folks: It now has been promised for Record Store Day 2022: Saturday, April 23. Mark your calendar!

By way of a reminder, the A-side features 1964's original soundtrack version of the song, while the B-side is an alternative studio take never before available on vinyl (although it is included on the album's 2014 CD re-release). 

“Baseball Theme” was one of many tunes Guaraldi wrote for the never-released 1964 documentary, A Boy Named Charlie Brown: to be used in a sequence devoted to Charlie Brown’s ill-fated efforts on the ball field. Guaraldi deftly leads his trio through the up-tempo instrumental track, accompanied by bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Colin Bailey. 

The limited-edition single is pressed on white vinyl and housed in a colorful jacket, featuring whimsical, baseball-themed images of Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Visit recordstoreday.com for a list of participating indie retailers. 

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The San Francisco Chronicle recently published an excellent article concerning an honor bestowed to the famous Hyde Street Studios: a bronze plaque recognizing it as a legacy business in San Francisco, for its contributions to the history and identity of the neighborhood, and to the pantheon of pop music.

Way back in the day, when it was known as the Wally Heider Studios (and following his breakup with Fantasy), Guaraldi recorded many of his scores for Peanuts specials within its walls, starting with You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown, and concluding — on February 6, the day he later died — with It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown. 

On February 6, 1974, Guaraldi and his trio were in that studio to record a live concert broadcast by KPFA and KPFB, much later released as the CD Live on the Air.

Guaraldi also spent several studio sessions, over the course of his final few years, recording tracks for a never-completed album: among them "Autumn Leaves," "Billie's Bounce," "No. 1 Snoopy Place," "Special Song" and "Your Song."

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This isn't fresh news, but it was new to me.

Back in 2009, Fantasy released the two-disc Definitive Vince Guaraldi, which is a marvelous 31-song collection of Guaraldi's best work for that label, from early tunes such as "Calling Dr. Funk" to later Peanuts efforts, such as the title theme to A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. The package also included two previously unreleased tracks: "Blues for Peanuts" and an alternate take of "Autumn Leaves."

I somehow missed the fact that, in July 2019, Hal Leonard released a massive 216-page book in its "Artist Transcription" series, devoted to the music in this two-disc set, and bearing the same title.

It contains all 31 songs.

Let me assure you, these are not trivial arrangements; as promised by the series, they are "authentic, note-for-note transcriptions." Many of them — I'm looking at "On Green Dolphin Street" and "Manha de Carnaval" — are impressively dense; you'll need serious piano chops to play these puppies.

(But everybody loves a challenge, right?)

This is, without question, the most impressive Guaraldi song book released thus far. Better work on those finger exercises!

Take us back to the ball game!

Grab your wallets; Craft Recordings is about to spend a lot of your money again.

The label recently announced a vinyl reissue of the classic album, A Boy Named Charlie Brown. Its nine evocative cues by the Vince Guaraldi Trio have been newly remastered from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray, at Cohearent Audio.

In stores July 16 and already available for pre-order, the LP  includes a special bonus: eight collectible baseball cards that showcase Charlie Brown’s team of misfits: Snoopy, Woodstock, Peppermint Patty, Linus and Lucy Van Pelt, Franklin Armstrong, Schroeder, and, of course, manager and pitcher, Charlie Brown. The back of each card reveals key stats for each player, including  field position and favorite sandwich.

A Boy Named Charlie Brown will also be offered in three colorful variants: a green-grass pressing at Target; a sky-blue version for VinylMePlease; and a baseball mitt-brown edition at the Craft Recordings Store, limited to 350 units (and, alas, already sold out). 

Additionally, one of the album's most memorable tracks, the up-tempo “Baseball Theme,” will be available for the very first time as a stand-alone, 7-inch single, exclusively for Record Store Day 2021. The A-side features 1964's original soundtrack version of the song, while the B-side is an alternative studio take never before available on vinyl (although it is included on the album's 2014 CD re-release). 

“Baseball Theme” was one of many tunes Guaraldi wrote for the never-released 1964 documentary, A Boy Named Charlie Brown: to be used in a sequence devoted to Charlie Brown’s ill-fated efforts on the ball field. Guaraldi deftly leads his trio through the up-tempo instrumental track, accompanied by bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Colin Bailey. 

The limited-edition single is pressed on white vinyl and housed in a colorful jacket, featuring whimsical, baseball-themed images of Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Visit recordstoreday.com for a list of participating indie retailers.