Customer Reviews

Jazz Impressions Vince Guaraldi

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This isn't the flashy upbeat Peanuts music that most people think of when they think of Vince Guaraldi. Rather, this is very mellow, and at times melancholy, music. It is perfect to pop in your car's CD player on a rainy day, or any other time when you want to escape the hassles of the world.

Though largely ignored by critics, Vince Guaraldi developed one of the most distinctive, original, and joyous sounds in jazz piano. (Perhaps only Thelonious Monk is as instantly recognizable.)

However, Guaraldi did not really find his "voice" on the instrument until 1962's "Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus." His prior recordings, "Vince Guaraldi Trio," "Flower Is a Lovesome Thing," and "Jazz Impressions" (which is really just a sampler of the two former works) are simply unexceptional West Coast jazz. The lightness of mood on these three early albums is further accentuated by the absence of a drummer.

Vince Guaraldi has often been labelled "easy listening." For the most part, that characterization is unfair, and reflects the accessibility of his work rather than its artistic merit. On these first three albums, however, the characterization is very apt.

For some reason, Vince Garualdi loved to record jazz albums two ways in which I can stand, but do not prefer.

One: Playing latin. He has numerous latin and bossa nova albums. They're ok, but I mean you really have to love bossa nova music. It's very close to the border line, of being very elevator. Theres hardly any flair, or excitement as in straight ahead jazz.

Two: Recording without a drummer. I am a drummer and look for drummers especially. It also livens up the music.

That said, this is an ok jazz release. Gauraldi only had about four really great albums. And they were his only four straight ahead releases. If he put his time and recording to straight ahead jazz, and with a drummer, he would be, my all time favorite jazz musician! This is nice background music. It is in the guitar-bass-piano format, something a drummer cannot quite bring himself to appreciate.

If all Gauraldi's albums sounded like Orpheus, and his Peanuts soundtracks, he would be one of the greatest players ever!