Customer Reviews

A Boy Named Charlie Brown: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television Special

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

You never knew the name of that one song; you just watched the specials. It's called "Linus and Lucy", it's probably running through your head right this minute, and it's on this CD. And after one listen, you'll realize that everything else Guaraldi wrote for the Charlie Brown shows is equally brilliant. Indispensable.

Vince Guaraldi was one of the few very talented jazz musicians who could span the divide between so-called pop and serious jazz. I think when a musician can touch the neophyte and the afficianado alike the music is something special. "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" is one of those very hip jazz albums that fortunately found its way to the mass market's ears. The swinging good feeling of the tune "Linus and Lucy" is so infectious you can't help but smile. No jazz missionary should leave home without this CD!

I'm not sure why you're even reading this review. If you've seen the peanuts, you know that Schulz's animations - those lovable characters, and the wah-wah-wah voices of the off-screen adults - are accompanied by jazz that's both soothing and whimsical.

If (egads!) you *haven't* seen Peanuts animation, this collection certainly won't mean the same thing to you. It's still a fabulous collection of pleasantly whimsical jazz, great for Sunday morning reading of the paper or Wednesday evening separation from reality.... but if you check out the cartoons first, that same pleasant whimsy will be filled with remniscent joy.

At Christmas time, you can't go wrong with "A Charlie Brown Christmas." "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" actually predates the yuletide classic by a year, and contains all of the original non-holiday Peanuts themes (including "Linus & Lucy"). Besides being a nostalgic slice of childhood fun, Vince Guaraldi's "Peanuts" compositions are also classics of jazz piano, and deserve more critical respect than they get. In short, whoever you are and whatever your tastes, you can't go wrong with this disc!

Vince Guaraldi was one of my first jazz "idols" and this CD remains among my very favorite of his. From the very first notes, the music is instantly recognizeable as the soundtrack to the Peanuts animated cartoons, but it works in so many other ways as well. Since the pieces on this disc were originally written to be background music in the cartoons (with the exception of the last track--"Fly Me To The Moon"), they make excellent background music for your party or while doing things around the house. I find it makes excellent study music. Despite serving as good background music, some of the tunes are also very catchy (the famous "Linus and Lucy," and my other favorite "The Charlie Brown Theme"). Sometimes I find myself just settling back in a comfortable chair and listening to this or one of my other Guaraldi CD's to relax after a long day. In an era that produced few easily listenable jazz albums, the Guaraldi discs--and especially this one--are a real treat. They're very easy on the ears. You won't be disappointed!

I got this CD a few years ago and I enjoy listening to it when I want to kick back, study, read, or just hang out. As a fan of the Peanuts gang, I truly love this piece of work. The "Linus and Lucy" piece is a classic. In a way, the music describes a day in my life, slow but carefree. A great collection of music to listen to in a coffee shop.

If you like piano jazz and trios in particular, you'll love this CD. We wanted something to remember the Peanuts strip and specials. We recalled how Giraldi's music fit so well with those tv specials. After seeing some interviews with Charles Shulz, we could understand why Giraldi was chosen for the music. This CD is very up-beat. The tunes are catchy and give you a good and relaxed feeling. Both serious jazz afficianados and the casual listner will love it.

This is Vince Guaraldi at his finest. Guaraldi's renditions are fresh, playful, and delightful. The final track (Fly me to the moon) is towering yet flighty, certainly my favorite. Many of Guaraldi's other works are interesting, but they all sound experimental next to this one.

Vince Guaraldi, though hardly mentioned in the same breath as Ellington, T. Monk, Oscar Peterson, and other piano jazz giants, is simply amazing. When they talk about "listenable" jazz, they mean Guaraldi. There's a reason why he got to write the soundtracks for Charlie Brown and Co. His sense of melody and timing is delicious, his phrasing never gets old, and he never loses you. I thought about purchasing his greatest hits CD until I realized that every Guaraldi CD plays like a greatest hits collection! This collection is particularly upbeat and I can listen to it any time, any place, and it always sounds good.

I'll admit -- I bought the CD just for "Linus & Lucy". However, I've learned to love all of the songs, and it's now the best CD to play when I'm stressed and need to mellow out. It also sold me to the merits of jazz -- a double bonus!