🎄 Holidays! "Christmastime is Here" (Celebrating "A Charlie Brown Christmas")

Rudy

¡Que siga la fiesta!
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We’ll take a quick break from our A&M tradition for this one. December 9, 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the first airing of A Charlie Brown Christmas, a television special that is no doubt imprinted on many of our memories as an integral part of Christmas. The plot involves Charlie Brown searching for the true meaning …

Read the whole post here at A&M Corner.
 
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I wish I could have that one (by the Vince Guaraldi Trio) on an album, besides a Vince Guaraldi album; a Various Artists set, in other words...

I saw the PEANUTS MOVIE, and naturally it was Christmas in one segment, so,--You guessed it!--that one played...!

It helps that I occasionally hear "Linus And Lucy" (another Guaraldi/Peanuts composition) on the radio, as well...


-- Dave
 
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I must say that I don't really remember the 1965 debut (too young :D ) but it was one of those TV specials we had to watch or it just wasn't Christmas. :laugh: It also ensured that I remained a lifelong fan of Peanuts. The Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits is a great companion disc, pulling together scattered tracks from some of those other specials we grew up with. Although arguably, those could have been tacked on as bonus tracks to the original. :shh:

Oddly enough, I never owned the soundtrack album until the CD era, when I picked up the very first CD release around 1985 or so.

One of the best sounding versions out there is the Analogue Productions 2LP 45RPM set that was mastered by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray. There is also a more recent 33-1/3RPM release mastered by Gray in 2014, which I have on the way to me now for evaluation. I do own the Fantasy SACD version, but it is nothing to write home about--it is certainly good, but really does not stand out. From what I've read of Hoffman's work with the masters, the original CD release may be one of the best sounding versions simply due to the amount that the master tape has deteriorated over the past couple of decades.

For novelty purposes, Fantasy reissued a green vinyl version a couple of years ago, and Newbury Comics had their own limited pressing run of 1,000 copies on red "marble" vinyl that looks really cool.

Keep in mind, however, that there is a remixed version floating around out there. What is really difficult is trying to determine if the CD is one of the remixes, or an original. I had one of those remixed versions, which has the incorrect take of "Linus and Lucy," which is the signature Peanuts song. Not only that, this version had heavy noise reduction, a jacked-up EQ, and some compression thrown on top of it all. Absolutely awful. Pretty sure it was a Fantasy reissue, yet my copy came in a 2-disc set from Monster Cable, the second disc being an absolutely wretched phony surround disc.


Newbury Comics limited edition:
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David Benoit produced a 40th anniversary tribute album:

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Benoit has been the instrumentalist behind the recent Peanuts specials since Guaraldi passed away. This album has somewhat mixed reviews, but Benoit's own recordings are much more true to the Guaraldi spirit. In fact, one of the more popular segments of his live show is a medley of Peanuts melodies, and they are all done in the same jazz trio configuration as the originals.
 
One of the best sounding versions out there is the Analogue Productions 2LP 45RPM set that was mastered by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray.

I have this 2 LP set limited edition and numbered and it cost a lot at the time but I'm so glad that I purchased it when it was released, it really is the best sounding version I've ever heard and it literally blew me away when I heard it for the first time. I was hearing instruments and spots in the song that I had not heard before with so much clarity and warmth. I always look forward to bringing this out each season and giving it a spin. I burned it to mp3 soon after I purchased it this way I can enjoy this throughout the year on the go, I never tire of hearing this music as it brings back so many childhood memories from the tv show. I had the CD version long before I got the Hoffman/Gray LP's and to this day I've never played the CD again, the definitive version is the Hoffman/Gray Lp's.

This past year I purchased "A Boy Named Charlie Brown (SACD) since I recently got a blu ray player that also plays SACD's. Since I had never heard this CD before I noticed it contained a slightly different version of Linus and Lucy and Fly Me To The Moon was a real treat to hear. I was really impressed with the sound on this SACD, another great investment in music in my opinion.

While we are taking about the great Vince Guaraldi, a couple years ago on another forum this guy reached out to me being a huge VG fan and having most of his work he was not able to get the Analogue Productions 2LP 45RPM set when it was originally released. He wanted to hear it and asked if I'd burn it since he knew he couldn't pay the price today to obtain it so we worked out a trade. He sent me an original CD titled, Alma-Ville by Vince Guaraldi. I was not familiar with the CD or the music on it but I knew if it was Vince Guaraldi's work that I most likely would enjoy it. Well that turned out to be one of the best trades I've ever done in my life. I absolutely love that CD and I hear it goes for a pretty penny and is somewhat rare (none of which I knew at the time). It contains a really beautiful track called "Eleanor Rigby" simply amazing to hear, Vince was such a gifted musician. I also really love the title track and the little breaks he puts into the piece. The entire CD is a real gem and every track I like...this is the kind of music that doesn't age it sounds as fresh today to listen as it did back then, the same goes for the music from "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
 
I feel the secret to Guaraldi's success (even if he hadn't done the Peanuts work) was his simplicity, and his easygoing "west coast" style. He could play in a way where he could flex his jazz muscles, yet still keep it accessible.

The first one I ever owned was the soundtrack for the "Boy Named Charlie Brown" documentary. At some point in the 90s, I got ahold of a used copy of the Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus disc on the DCC label (which Hoffman mastered). My mother had the original Fantasy CD of that title, and the difference is far and away startling--you'd think it was a completely different recording. The DCC is clear, clean and very musical; the Fantasy is stuffy and old-sounding (dulled highs, tape hiss, some strange EQ). The hit single from this was "Cast Your Fate To The Wind." Word has it that Lee Mendelson heard this recording on the radio, discovered who performed it, then contacted his pal Leonard Feather (a popular jazz critic) to find out how to get in touch with Guaraldi to score music for the documentary. And that was the start of it all.

I haven't spun Alma-Ville in a few years. Others I have are In Person, From All Sides (with Bola Sete), and Vince Guaraldi Trio which IIRC may have been his very first Fantasy album. All are enjoyable!

I have this 2 LP set limited edition and numbered and it cost a lot at the time but I'm so glad that I purchased it when it was released, it really is the best sounding version I've ever heard and it literally blew me away when I heard it for the first time. I was hearing instruments and spots in the song that I had not heard before with so much clarity and warmth.

I only have the 45RPM set myself as a needledrop, so Kevin Gray's version will be interesting to compare. It should sound nearly as good. But we have to consider that the master tape used for the Hoffman/Gray version was already starting to show its age (Steve had mentioned he didn't feel the tape would hold up to many more uses, if any...it has deteriorated that much), and Gray's version is 33-1/3. He still does nice work, though, so he will make the best of what he can get out of that tape today.

I know it's musically not related, but over the past few weeks I have received all four of the recently remastered Peter Gabriel albums (the first four), which are also on 45 RPM 2-LP sets. I don't know what they put into the secret sauce, but exactly what you say about the Hoffman/Gray set applies here as well. PG4 is amazing with its dynamics. I listened to sides one and two of PG1, and heard plenty of details I had never noticed before, and the instruments sounded more real than I've ever heard them. PG3 has some spine-chilling moments, especially on the last two tracks of the album. I've had the SACDs for a dozen or so years, but this leaves even those in the distance. They are a pain to play, flipping sides so often, but this is one case where it's truly worth it.
 
I probably saw the Peanuts special on TV the second time it aired. The first Peanuts special I remember seeing was "Charlie Brown's All Stars," which first aired in 1966 when I was 10. It featured his ever-losing baseball team -- and outside of that I have zero memory of it, but it made me a fan, so Mom probably made sure I saw the Christmas special that year. I started collecting the Peanuts paperback reprint books about that same time, too.

The Christmas special one of those things that is just timeless. I try to watch it every year. I got it on Blu-Ray in a 5-pack with a bunch of the other specials -- I keep meaning to convert it to digital cinema format and watch it in the theatre. One of these days/years. The part at the end where Linus gives the true meaning of Christmas is my favorite part -- my least favorite bits are the Red Baron segments. They always seemed like time fillers to me.

I was an early fan of the soundtrack music. Of course at the time I knew nothing about Vince Guaraldi or jazz or music of any kind really, but I remember always really liking the music on the Peanuts shows -- it set them apart from all the other cartoon shows out there. "Linus and Lucy" was a favorite of course, but I also like "Skating" and "Christmastime Is Here" is an annual spin for me.
 
I have heard a lot of good reviews on Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus and that it's a must have purchase yet I've never known which was the best version to seek out. I imagine the DCC version would be pretty pricey. I need to look at adding this to my collection at some point.

I have the 2 LP 45 RPM Hoffman/Gray production. I didn't know Gray mastered it again in 2014 but in 33 1/3RPM so I wonder how that one sounds compared to the 45rpm version? What was the reason for issuing it in 2014 in 33 1/3 rpm?
 
What was the reason for issuing it in 2014 in 33 1/3 rpm?

Probably to keep the cost down, I would guess. They will sell more at $25 vs. $45. Although given the popularity of the 45RPM set, I am surprised they did not do a second pressing run. The needledrop I have was done in high-res at 24/96, so it will be a fair comparison. Kevin Gray has done a lot of nice work in recent years, so I am sure it will sound quite good.

I got it on Blu-Ray in a 5-pack with a bunch of the other specials -- I keep meaning to convert it to digital cinema format and watch it in the theatre.
Good excuse to have a private viewing party. :D

I was an early fan of the soundtrack music. Of course at the time I knew nothing about Vince Guaraldi or jazz or music of any kind really, but I remember always really liking the music on the Peanuts shows -- it set them apart from all the other cartoon shows out there.
That is the nice thing about the music--it's jazz, it's "jazzy," yet is ear-friendly and not alienating like some jazz can be. Some critics out there might put it down for not being "real" jazz but hey, if they want to be all negative about it, it's their loss. The music: it is what it is. That was Guaraldi's style, and by a stroke of luck it fit perfectly with Schulz's characters.
 
Unfortunately I am old enough to remember A Charlie Brown Christmas from the first airing. :laugh: I had always loved Peanuts (especially Snoopy, who reminded me of my own beagle - who also had plenty of attitude) and saw all the specials. I never had a vinyl copy of the album but have had the cd (and dvd) for a number of years. I am familiar with Vince's "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" but don't own a copy of Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus. Prices on the various versions of that are all over the place now.

Another regular feature for holiday viewing when I was a kid was Rudolph. Especially since it was originally sponsored by GE, my dad's employer. Thanks to the company store, we had just about every GE appliance. I also had the soundtrack album from Rudolph, featuring Burl Ives and the Decca Concert Orchestra. I wonder who those guys were? :hmmm:
 
The other thing I remember liking about the early Peanuts specials was the way the characters talked. They had kind of a halting inflection sometimes. (I'm not sure how to describe it.) I read much later that the child actors were so inexperienced that it was hard for them to get through their line readings - so they sometimes had to splice together two or three different bits to create each line.
 
Another regular feature for holiday viewing when I was a kid was Rudolph. Especially since it was originally sponsored by GE, my dad's employer. Thanks to the company store, we had just about every GE appliance. I also had the soundtrack album from Rudolph, featuring Burl Ives and the Decca Concert Orchestra. I wonder who those guys were? :hmmm:

Rudolph and Frosty, and one of those other Rankin-Bass specials I can't remember the name of were also holiday regulars at our place. But my mother was freaked out by The Grinch, so I never watched that one. (Only since the mid 90s I started watching it, when I bought the DVD to go with my first DVD player around 1997.) We always looked forward to Peanuts the most, but I couldn't let the others pass. My dad was more enthused by the Perry Como Xmas special. :laugh:
 
I was at Barnes and Noble today and as you are aware they house a bunch of vinyl now, in fact they are marketing it very well, signs everywhere, they even have a table set up selling turntables and lint brushes and LP containers to house them, my store had a whole isle dedicated to vinyl they must have had 100's of them.

I saw 2 Peanuts LP's for sale here are pics I snapped with my camera. Interesting one of them is the orange vinyl (see the stickeron front).....should I have bought it?
The first one looks like a compilation LP if GH.

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Those plastic turntables indeed are good for getting someone into it, but I certainly wouldn't play anything other than dollar bin vinyl on it. :laugh: Neat package!

I'm not sure on that orange vinyl pressing--I found it a bit noisy. But, I have not yet run it through the record vac. (I am awaiting a shipment of ingredients to make my own cleaner, vs. paying $30-$40 for a half liter of it. I'm nearly out.) So at this point I don't know if it's a defect, or just pressing plant dirt.

What is neat is that the LP not only has the original jacket design, there are twelve lithographs in a white envelope inside, suitable for framing. Definitely a neat collector's item.

There is a "Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits" album, and I think taht is on vinyl also. I don't know if that is the same one as the one you pictured above. I need to compare track listings.

My Analogue Productions pressing of Charlie Brown Xmas arrived today, and I would safely say that it is nearly as good as the 45RPM pressing. Naturally the 45RPM has a little more detail and definition to it, but this one really sounds good. Kevin Gray did an excellent job on it. As I mentioned in another thread, this is the first time I've heard the voices this well--it sounds like a chorus of individual voices singing (you can pick them out), vs. having them sound like one solid mass of vocals. Definition on the bass, especially, is quite good. Very pleased with the sound of this one! Side one is dead quiet. Side two has a few loud single pops, which to me sound like dirt (not a pressing defect) that will go away after a cleaning and/or another play or two. It happens.

I almost bought the green vinyl copy but figured, for the price, that I'd rather get the superior sound of Kevin's mastering of it. The 45RPM set is impossible to find under $100 these days. If I'd had the funds at the time, I probably would have bought a few to flip ten years later. :D
 
I was tempted at getting that orange vinyl, you know when it's right in your hands but I put it back, I really already have these tracks on the SACD A Boy Named Charlie Brown. I tell you the one I would like to own is The Definitive Vince Guaraldi (4 LP Box Set) Amazon is showing it now at $120.00 yikes but it sure looks like a nice set and has 86% of 5 star reviews. It looks like it came out Nov 2015 on the Fantasy label, have you heard anyone that has this? It's hard to believe this was recorded from 1955-1966 it sounds so fresh today. I was previewing the samples and wow classic Guaraldi sound.
 
Music direct with the HOLIDAY10 coupon (and the current $115 sale price) works out to around $105, including shipping. Some marketplace sellers on Amazon have it for around $100, including the shipping. http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0142XIRA0 There likely may be better deals out there.

Fantasy's own mastering often isn't as good as something Analogue Productions would do. The CD set seems to be quite a bargain though. I would probably go with that if I were picking it up. I have many of these tracks already, but there are some I don't yet have. (I think they are from the album The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi.) Pretty much all of his Fantasy albums are good, and he also made two albums with Brazilian guitarist Bola Sete that stand out also. Can't go wrong with any of them, really.
 
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