Been on a huge Guaraldi kick recently

[Jazz+]

Uh, yeah thats uh... right.

[Jazz+]

Vince was basically a spin off of Red Garland and Wynton Kelly. He played the same left hand 4 note or 3 note rootless voicings as they did. He was a good little tune smith and also worked the Latin side with Cal Trader. He grew his hair long near the end and developed some bad habits that did him in.

[Mark Schmieder]

Cal Tjader was local (to here) as well. All of those cats were into latin before it was cool. Some of that may have come from the academic institutions they were involved with. Tjader and Brubeck hung out, and Brubeck even dabbled in latin up until the late 60's or so. Bobo might have been hanging out around these parts as well.

 

I only moved here at the end of 1991, so missed out on all of that. I was surprised when I learned that some of the cats, like Bobby Hutcherson, were local to the core; I had always assumed that people passed through the area and moved on.

 

Anyway, I think a study of Guaraldi, and Tjader, can serve as the basis for further explorations into when and how latin music developed and hybridized in the USA.

[Kayvon]

Tjader is so deep. He gets endlessly sampled by hip-hop heads. His recordings are just immense.

 

Back to Guaraldi but keeping with the Latin theme him and Tjader were fond of, I recently got this one in my head and couldn't stop listening to it to the point where I had to learn my first bit of Portuguese to sing along to Dick Farney's version.

 

[video:youtube]

 

Fun to play along to on my secret santa gifted melodica too!

[16251]

Ironically, finding this thread was prophetic for me as I was considering starting a similar topic on Vince Guaraldi. I always loved him but for the last few months he has been my main inspiration and educator. Vince, IMO, is one of the best in using punctuation in his solos. The soloing in A Boy Named Charlie Brown has some of the best moments I will ever experience listening to a pianist.

 

I spend a lot of time on YouTube and find gems. Below is one of those of VG. One commented in video that this was the last tune of first set that Vince played before his demise.

 

[video:youtube]

[Muad’Dib]

I have been trying to learn too play Linus and Lucy, but my problem is knowing when too play my right and and keep my left going.

 

Love his music.

[Jazz+]

I hear a strong Red Garland block chord and Wynton Kelly influence on this favorite 7 minute blues solo. Played with that sort of dapper Guaraldi soulfulness, sometimes way behind the beat to get an effect. Play it note for note and it won't sound like Vince unless you lay it back like he does. You must allow the bass and drums to rush. He also alternately will accelerate or rush his lines and then put it behind again , like Wynton Kelly the true master of piano swing time. I miss this in the playing of many modern jazz pianists. Lots of double time along the way, then back to eights.

[video:youtube]

[16251]

Wow, he had some chops that I'd never heard ! That double time section - which is quite difficult/technical on a straight 8th feel at that tempo - at 3:19 is right on the money clean ! Thanks Peter.

 

Tragic - 47 of a heart attack. I believe like most from that era, he was a smoker, and who knows what else. Gone way too soon. A great Artist !

 

From 4:35 to end I hear him creating a vocal chorus with his percussive and sustain and he carries it to the end ::Epic...

[Mark Schmieder]

Bernard Edwards (bassist for Chic Productions) also died around that age, on stage during a show as I recall, or between sets. He was overweight, but didn't drink or smoke or anything. I think the weight did him in though, whereas Guaraldi did himself no favours with his heavy smoking.

[Jazz+]

speedball

[Al Quinn]

I first saw A Charlie Brown Christmas when I was in elementary school (during the mid-sixties). If it wasn't for Vince Guaraldi's wonderful playing throughout this special I wouldn't have heard any great jazz piano as a kid. He was literally the only great jazz pianist I heard during my childhood.

 

A childhood friend -- who is not a jazz fan -- recently came to one of my jazz gigs and said the music reminded him of A Charlie Brown Christmas. For him, and I'm sure for many others who have had limited exposure to jazz, Vince Guaraldi is jazz piano (although they only know his music, not his name).

[stillearning]

I grew up in a musical family, father was a concert cellist who listened to opera around the house, and started me on classical piano at age 4. I was 10 when A Charlie abrown Christmas first aired, and it was my first taste of music that resonated with me.

 

Several years later my father took me to see the brilliant Pat Pace and his jazz trio, and they performed Linus and Lucy, including an extended improv solo section. His take on L and L was out there. He would drift away, youd get lost, and hed subtly bring it back. I was a teen and in awe. Years later, I was lucky enough to take some lessons with Pat Pace.

[Mark Schmieder]

Wow, that Eleanor Rigby track brings back memories, as it was what inspired me to do a solo piano rendition of Depeche Mode's "People Are People" and to twist the rhythmic pulse around from the original. I had totally forgotten how heavily influenced I was by Guaraldi at that point!

[Adan]

I think it's a little bit true to say Vince Guaraldi is to jazz piano what Bill Nye is to science. Vince piques your interest and pretty soon you're keeping company with Oscar, Chick, Herbie, etc. . .. Don't know if Vince would agree or take that as a compliment.

 

Aside from that, to me his style has always seemed very OF San Francisco. A very suitable soundtrack to the City.

[Mark Schmieder]

Born in North Beach, it permeated everything that he did.