Jazz like Vince Guaraldi (for a student)

[BluMunk]

I'm starting with a new student next week; a young high schooler with about two years of piano background. He showed up playing (imperfectly, but impressively for a beginner) some intermediate level transcriptions of Vince Guaraldi songs.

 

He wants to learn jazz, but pretty much knows nothing but Guaraldi. "I didn't really like jazz I'd heard before Guaraldi, but Guaraldi makes me want to learn jazz."

 

I want to open up this kid's horizons a little, but want to do so that moves him gently from where he is into some other things he might like.

 

Any recs for specific musicians, or, more importantly, specific recordings?

[Jazz+]

There is a lot of material recorded by Guaraldi, stick with that. You branch out and you run the risk of turning him off, imo. Vince seemed to be influenced by Wynton Kelly and Red Garland, imo.

What Guaraldi tunes are you playing? Star Song, Linus And Lucy, Christmas Time Is Here, Cast Your Fate To The Wind?

 

Maybe:

Take Five ⦠(a bit tricky to play the melody and an accompaniment part),

Birk's Works (C mi), Blue Monk in C, Misterioso are all easy enough and somewhat catchy.

 

For hot flashy jazz piano playing, listen to "Montreux Alexander" by Monty Alexander.

 

[SamuelBLupowitz]

Horace Silver might be another good one for him. I wouldn't say he sounds like Vince Guaraldi, but there's a similar emphasis on sparse, rhythmic playing.

[Docbop]

I would ask him to checkout Herbie Hancock's album "The New Standard". Killer band with Herbie mainly on acoustic piano, but reason I suggest it the material is newer songs that the student may be familiar with like Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, etc. Another album along the same lines is Robert Glasper's "Covered". An acoustic trio doing even newer songs a high school student should be familiar. I find when people know the songs then easier to get into the Jazz versions of same tunes. Plus there are a number of YouTubes with Glasper performing these tunes in the studio so student can watch him play.

 

 

[Mark Zeger]

Bill Evans 'Waltz for Debby' is a great stepping stone from Guaraldi.

 

Maybe another musician"s take on Guaraldi like Wynton & Ellis Marsalis 'Joe Cool"s Blues'. From there, check out Wynton"s tune 'Big Fat Hen':

[video:youtube]

 

Maybe tunes with great melodic or rhythmic hooks:

Lee Morgan 'The Sidewinder'

Nat & Cannonball Adderley 'Work Song' or 'Jive Samba'

Herbie 'Watermelon Man' or 'Cantaloupe Island'

Sonny 'St Thomas'

Eddie Harris 'Cold Duck Time'

 

Or some modal Real Book 101 tunes:

Miles 'All Blues'

Freddie Hubbard 'Little Sunflower'

 

 

 

 

[vortmaxx]

Vince seemed to be influenced by Wynton Kelly and Red Garland, imo.

I would definitely agree. Kind of Blue was kind of a turning point for me when I started studying jazz. I had a really good teacher (about 100 years ago) who had me transcribe Wynton's solo from Freddie Freeloader. I really learned a lot in the process and it helped me understand some of what guys like Vince were doing.

[16251]

Sonny Clark

Sonny Clark

Sonny Clark

[stillearning]

There is a lot of material recorded by Guaraldi, stick with that. You branch out and you run the risk of turning him off, imo. Vince seemed to be influenced by Wynton Kelly and Red Garland, imo.

What Guaraldi tunes are you playing? Star Song, Linus And Lucy, Christmas Time Is Here, Cast Your Fate To The Wind?

 

Maybe:

Take Five â¦

Agree. Make the move away from Guaraldi slow. The songs mentioned above are all songs I have taught and students love them! I get them to take off on the solo sections in Linus and Lucy (ala Benoit) and they love it! The chord voicings in Christmas Time are easily changed and/or simplified for smaller hands. Also Guaraldi"s Eleanor Rigby.

[Jazz+]

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy in C , maybe

I cannot think of any tune similar to the catchy favorite "Linus and Lucy", it's a one off.

[dixonge]

I realize this is old, but I'm into necroposting... 🤷‍♂️

 

I was listening to Ramsey Lewis' The In Crowd yesterday and commented to my wife that it had a sort of Guaraldi feel to it. So just in case any one stumbles on this thread now they have an additional data point...

[ElmerJFudd]

There are several Vince Guaraldi transcription books, The Vince Guaraldi Collection, Definitive Collection, etc.  I think if he likes Guaraldi he will also dig Brubeck.   
 

Looking for what else he might like, try a collections book like Hal Leonard’s Jazz Master Pieces - Transcriptions by Frederick Moyer.  It includes: “15 classic pieces as played by jazz superstars. Includes note-for-note transcriptions of: At Long Last Love (Oscar Peterson) * (They Long to Be) Close to You (Erroll Garner) * First Trip (Herbie Hancock) * Freeway (Vince Guaraldi) * Get Happy (Art Tatum) * Lonely Woman (Horace Silver) * Matrix (Chick Corea) * My Foolish Heart (Bill Evans) * Satin Doll (Monty Alexander) * The Way You Look Tonight (Dave Brubeck) * and more.”

 

 You’re bound to find another that resonates with him. Maybe all of them, and that will strike up the conversation about what makes their styles different - how one goes about developing one’s own arrangements and maybe he’s hooked.  

[midinut]

I was just thinking that some Bob James might be an easy transition from Guaraldi.

[Shamanzarek]

I have a student that plays in his high school jazz band. We primarily focus on jazz but occasionally do a fun piece that incorporates an unusual playing technique. This is one that might appeal to younger player. The performance in the video likely makes it look more difficult than it really is. Obviously a less-experienced player won't be playing it this fast but with a little practice can maintain a good tempo.

 

 

[pinkfloydcramer]

Henry Mancini. Pink Panther theme, Baby Elephant Walk, a Shot in the Dark and others. Catchy tunes that IMO would inspire a beginning student. Search Youtube for specific performances.

 

The previously mentioned Bob James 

is an excellent suggestion also, IMO. That reminded me of David Benoit and Quincy Jones- although The Streetbeater lends itself more to jazz organ.