Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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I have previously looked at a number of titles in Brent Edstrom’s superb Hal Leonard series of Jazz Piano Solos (you can read those reviews here), and the series has become the established go-to for advanced players (from around Grade 7) wanting to explore the jazz repertoire.
The latest addition to this growing resource, Volume 64 no less, is devoted to the music of the legendary Vince Guaraldi, known to many as the man behind the music in the Charlie Brown cartoons. And for those not familiar with Guaraldi’s other work, this new volume is a great entrance to discovering it…
Vince Guaraldi (1928-1976)
Born in San Francisco in 1928, Vince Guaraldi was a highly influential jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. His distinctive style seamlessly combined the rhythmic complexities of jazz with techniques that ranged from boogie-woogie to Latin, and even classical music.
This fusion resulted in a sound that proved both sophisticated and accessible to audiences of all ages, solidifying his reputation as a boundary-pushing artist with a compelling creative vision. Guaraldi’s body of work captured the hearts of listeners worldwide and secured his place in musical history.
His music for the Charlie Brown cartoons, included several favourites in this publication, earned him mainstream fame, as did his 1962 composition Cast Your Fate to the Wind, which was a radio hit and won him a Grammy Award in 1963 for Best Original Jazz Composition.
Tragically though, Guaraldi’s life was cut short. He died suddenly of a heart attack in February 1976 at the age of just 47, moments after concluding a nightclub performance in Menlo Park, California.
Jazz Piano Solos
Volume 64 in Brent Edstrom’s Jazz Piano Solos series offers his transcriptions and arrangements of the following 24 classic Guaraldi tracks:
- Blues For Peanuts
- Calling Dr. Funk
- Cast Your Fate To The Wind
- Charlie Brown Theme
- Charlie’s Blues
- Christmas Is Coming
- A Day In The Life Of A Fool (Manha De Carnaval)
- Django
- El Matador
- Fenwyck’s Farfel
- Ginza Samba
- The Great Pumpkin Waltz
- Happiness Theme
- Linus And Lucy
- Little Birdie
- Mr. Lucky
- O Tannenbaum
- Oh, Good Grief
- Outra Vez
- The Pebble Beach Theme
- Samba De Orfeu
- Skating
- Star Song
- Treat Street
Edstrom has an unrivalled reputation for his arrangements, which not only preserve the musical voice and essence of the originals, but are often stellar transcriptions that barely deviate from the original recordings other than to create solo piano versions.
Linus and Lucy makes for an interesting case study in this regard, appearing in the A flat major of the original, the central solo reproduced with impeccable accuracy. Playing several of the other pieces here and comparing them with original recordings, I found a similarly remarkable degree of authenticity.
Further to this, the edition as ever includes chord symbols for the benefit of those wanting to add their own take, or play with like-minded musicians. Again, these are comprehensive and fastidiously accurate.
The 96-page (on white paper) staple-bound book matches the house style and excellence of this distinguished series, once again reaffirming and reminding us that Edstrom’s range of Hal Leonard collections set the benchmark for advanced jazz piano publications.
Closing Thoughts
With titles running the gamut of jazz styles and legendary icons, the Jazz Piano Solos series continues to grow from strength to strength; this new collection, paying homage to the genius of Vince Guaraldi’s unique art is another reassuringly superb publication.
During the review period I answered a forum question from a pianist looking for transcriptions of Guaraldi’s music, happily recommending this publication; I can gladly now do so publicly in this review.
I am sure there will be many others who greet this new collection with immense enthusiasm and gratitude. It really is top stuff!
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