The sincerest form of flattery: 2024 update

This post originally appeared back in December 2012, and was updated in 2016 and 2019. Although it deserves a fresh update this year — thanks to nine new entries! — adding to the original post wouldn't call attention to the enhanced information; there's also no reason newer readers would know anything about it. Ergo, a "repeat performance" with additional material. The sequence is chronological, and the new entries are bolded. Enjoy!

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While writing the final chapter of my book on Guaraldi, when it came time to briefly mention the unusual phenomenon of contemporary musicians who’ve chosen to cover the entire Charlie Brown Christmas score, I paused long enough to wonder whether this has happened very often.

Granted, jazz is a genre that encourages such behavior; consider the number of folks who’ve put their own stamp on, say, Miles Davis’ “All Blues.” But covering an entire album? Surely, that must be unusual.

And, indeed, it is ... but, by a curious coincidence, one of my other favorite jazz albums — also a TV score — has garnered the same attention: Henry Mancini’s iconic soundtrack for Peter Gunn. The series ran for three seasons, from September 1958 through September 1961, and Mancini produced two albums: The Music from Peter Gunn (1958) and More Music from Peter Gunn (1959).

To say that Mancini’s swingin’ themes made a splash would be an understatement. The first album reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop LP Chart, and suddenly everybody wanted a piece of the action. All sorts of folks covered the groovin' title theme, with Ray Anthony's version spending 17 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between January 5 and April 27, 1959; it peaked at No. 8 the week of March 2.

Ted Nash, Maxwell Davis and Pete Candoli had released the first cover album, titled simply Peter Gunn, the year before; Nash, Pete and Conte Candoli, calling themselves the Soundstage All Stars, followed with More Peter Gunn in 1959. Drummer Shelly Manne & His Men also released two albums in 1959: Play Peter Gunn and Son of Gunn. The Joe Wilder Quartet joined the fun in 1959, with Jazz from Peter Gunn; Ray Ellis and his Orchestra followed in 1960, with The Best of Peter Gunn. Manne & His Men returned to the well in 1967, with the outré Jazz Gunn (a little too far out for my taste, but that's just one vote).

It’s simple, really: When listeners really, truly love a particular score, they can’t get enough of it. Leonard Bernstein’s music for West Side Story is another good example; I couldn’t begin to tabulate all the jazz cover versions that album generated.

We therefore shouldn’t be surprised that Guaraldi’s beloved Christmas album has received the same treatment, and increasingly more often as time has passed.

But are they any good?

In most cases, yes, and well worth your time and money. And since this is the holiday season, it seems an appropriate time to discuss them all.

But let’s make it a bit more fun, and score the contestants according to my own whimsical parameters. Points therefore will be awarded for...

1) Covering all four of Guaraldi’s original tunes: “Christmas Time Is Here,” “Christmas Is Coming,” “Skating” and “Linus and Lucy” (5 points each, for a total of 20);

2) Covering all five of the traditional Christmas songs that Guaraldi arranged and included on the album: “O Tannenbaum,” “What Child Is This, (aka Greensleeves)” “My Little Drum (aka The Little Drummer Boy),” “The Christmas Song” and “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” (5 points each, for a total of 25);

3) Plus covering Beethoven’s “Für Elise” (25 point bonus);

4) And presenting them in the same album sequence (50 point bonus).

Fresh jazz covers of additional Christmas songs are nice, but count neither toward nor against the total score. Additional Guaraldi tunes also are welcome, and — again — count neither toward nor against the total score.

Finally, 10 points will be subtracted for unimaginatively calling the album A Charlie Brown Christmas, because that’s confusing. At the very least, the artist(s) in question should give their work some sort of original title.

Please note, though: The final tally applies solely to how faithful the cover elements are, and in no way reflects the musicality present. Jim Martinez’s album may score low in the “perfect cover” department, but it’s one of my favorites on this list.

Onward!

A jolly Guaraldi holiday 2022

It's time once again for this annual round-up of Guaraldi-themed concerts taking place between now and the end of the year, most of which (of course!) are tied in to his music from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Following 2020's much smaller list of streaming-only performances, things initially looked more promising last year. Numerous artists and groups optimistically scheduled live performances, most of which took place as planned. Some, alas, were derailed by Covid's mid- to late December "winter bounce." 

Although we definitely aren't out of the woods yet — with hospitals and caregivers currently getting slammed by the terrible trio of Covid, annual flu and RSV — we seem to have decided, to borrow that wonderful phrase from the British, to keep calm and carry on. This year's roster of performances already is approaching the impressive pre-pandemic numbers. Some musicians no doubt will be masked; some clubs likely will insist that patrons take similar precautions. That said — to borrow yet another famous phrase — the shows will go on. Indeed, some groups have booked impressively lengthy schedules.

Even so, it'll be best to keep an eye on the web site(s) of any artist and/or venue that catches your fancy, to determine if the schedule has shifted.

I first traced the history and growth of this delightful annual tradition back in 2012, with a modest schedule that now seems quaint. This year's post will serve as a clearinghouse for any and all 2022 concerts that come to my attention. As always, I'll add to this schedule as new information becomes available, so you'll want to check back frequently. New entries and listings will be tagged as UPDATES. 

Let's dig in!

• The Eric Byrd Trio — Byrd, piano and vocals; Bhagwan Khalsa, acoustic bass; and Alphonso Young Jr., drums and percussion — has made a cottage industry of Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas music, having thus far released two cover albums: a 2009 studio project, and a 2021 live performance. Both are available here. Byrd's combo began its 10-show run on November 26, with upcoming performances in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., concluding Friday, December 23, at the Weinberg Center for the Arts, in Frederick, Maryland. Details.

• Doc Watkins and his Orchestra began their month-long Christmas in Jazz tributes to the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas at San Antonio's JazzTX, Texas, on November 25. Upcoming shows include December 1-4, 8-11, 15-18 and 20-22. Details. They also scheduled a December 14 performance at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, also in San Antonio. Details. The icing on the cake: Watkins just released a terrific new album, The Music of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Check it out!

A Jolly Guaraldi Holiday 2021

It's time once again for this annual round-up of Guaraldi-themed concerts taking place between now and the end of the year, most of which (of course!) are tied in to his music from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Last year's schedule proved incredibly fluid, as rising Covid concerns and restrictions constantly changed schedules, sometimes with very little notice. Almost all of the brave souls who attempted to present live, at-venue performances, were forced to pivot to streaming options. While that was disappointing for each group's local fans, the result proved awesome for the rest of us. I was able to watch performances by many, many groups — 24 of them! — that have always been too geographically distant for me to catch in person.

Things are equally up in the air this year. While numerous artists and groups already have optimistically scheduled live performances, we don't yet know whether a Covid "winter bounce" will strike for a second year. As was the case last year, it'll be best to keep an eye on the artist and/or venue web site, to determine if a live presentation has shifted to streaming-only ... or (I hope not!) canceled entirely.

I traced the history and growth of this delightful tradition back in 2012, with a modest schedule that now seems quaint. This year's post will serve as a clearinghouse for any and all 2021 concerts that come to my attention. As always, I'll add to this schedule as new information becomes available, so you'll want to check back frequently. New entries and listings will be tagged as UPDATES.

Let's dig in!

• The Eric Byrd Trio — Byrd, piano and vocals; Bhagwan Khalsa, acoustic bass; Alphonso Young Jr., drums and percussion — has made a cottage industry of Guaraldi's Christmas music, going so far as to cover most of the album in a 2009 CD. Best of all, the trio just released a new album: a live performance recorded during one of their gigs in Westminster, Maryland. Both are available here.  Byrd's combo is booked for 10 shows this year, starting Saturday, November 20, at the Blackrock Center for the Arts in Germantown, Maryland; and concluding Saturday, December 18, at the Carroll Art Center in Westminster, Maryland. Check his web site for details.

• The Chris White Trio — White, piano; Sean Jacobi, bass; and Ryan Jacobi, drums — will kick off a busy schedule with a tribute to the music of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on Wednesday, November 24, at Winter's Jazz Club in Chicago, Illinois. Subsequent Charlie Brown Christmas tribute concerts will begin Saturday and Sunday, December 4 and 5, at Hey Nonny, also in Chicago. Details. Information about additional Charlie Brown Christmas concerts can be found at Chris' website.

• The Steve Myerson Trio — Myerson, piano; Mike Boone, bass; and George Coleman Jr., drums — will present a Vince Guaraldi Holiday Special on Wednesday, November 24, at Shanghai Jazz in Madison, New Jersey. Details.

• Doc Watkins and His Orchestra will present "Christmas in Jazz," featuring music from A Charlie Brown Christmas during 16 (!) live performances every Friday and Saturday, from November 26 through December 18, at JazzTX in San Antonio, Texas. Details. He'll also present Big Band Jazz arrangements of Guaraldi's iconic music on Thursday, December 16, at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, also in San Antonio. Details.

• The Eric Mintel Quartet — Mintel, piano; Nelson Hill, sax; Jack Hegyi, bass; and Dave Mohn, drums — also has a busy schedule planned, beginning with Vince Guaraldi & The Holidays on Saturday, November 27, at Shanghai Jazz, Madison, New Jersey; and concluding on Monday, December 20, at Artefact, Furlong, Pennsylvania; with plenty of dates in between. Details at their website.

• UPDATE: The Cartoon Christmas Trio — Jeff Knoettner, piano; Rob Swanson, bass; Jimmy Coleman, drums — performs music from A Charlie Brown Christmas and tunes from other animated holiday shows, such as Frosty the Snowman and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. (Their album is a kick; give it a listen.) They have a busy schedule, starting Wednesday, December 1, at Winterthur Estates and Gardens in Winterthur, Delaware, and concluding Wednesday, December 22, at The Pines, in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Check their calendar for details.

• UPDATE: The Mich Shirey Duo — Shirey, guitar; and Nick Fane, upright bass — will present Guitar for Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Christmas Tribute on Wednesday, December 1, at the Whistler in Chicago, Illinois. Details.

• Popular jazz pianist David Benoit traditionally headlines a busy concert tour of his Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown each December; alas, his schedule was limited to just two performances last year. He's returning with a vengeance this year, with a 15-stop tour that begins Thursday, December 2, in Natick, Massachusetts; and concludes Thursday, December 23, in San Juan Capistrano, California; with stops along the way in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nebraska, Washington and more. Check his website for details.

• Pianist Keith Byrd and his Frynz combo will present a Charlie Brown Christmas concert on Thursday, December 2, at the Centennial Station Arts Center in High Point, North Carolina. Details.

• The Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio — Pierson, piano; Shawn Nadeau, bass; and Davy Sturtevant, guitar, mandolin, dobro, fiddle, cornet — will begin an ambitious Charlie Brown Christmas tour on Friday, December 3, at the Bangor Arts Exchange in Bangor, Maine. Subsequent stops will includes venues in Vermont and New Hampshire, concluding on Saturday, December 18, at Atac: Downtown Arts + Music in Framingham, Massachusetts. Full details are available at her website calendar.

• The Ed Croft Trio — Croft, bass; Jake Malone Brancato, piano; and Candice Simone Thomas, drums — will present a concert titled "Charlie Brown Is in Town" on Friday and Saturday, December 3 and 4, at the Pausa Art House in Buffalo, New York. Details. They'll follow this with another performance on Sunday, December 5, at the Seneca One Tower, also in Buffalo. Details.

• UPDATE: The Donovan Johnson Band — Johnson, piano; Ed Archibald, sax/flute; Kevin Kerwin, guitar; Steve Gomez, bass; William Nanson, drums; and Kent Barnes, percussion — will be joined by vocalist Stephen Sheehan for The Music of Vince Guaraldi and Peanuts, on Saturday, December 4, at the Omaha Conservatory of Music, Omaha, Nebraska. Details.

• The Ron LeGault Trio will present Charlie Brown Goes to the Nutcracker — Guaraldi's music from the holiday special, blended with jazz versions of music from the Nutcracker Ballet — on three consecutive Saturdays, December 4, 11 and 18, at the St. Julien Hotel & Spa in Boulder, Colorado. Details.

• The Joey Nardone Trio — Nardone, piano; Brian Allen, bass; and Chris Brown, drums — will present their sixth annual tribute to the music of Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas on Sunday, December 5, at City Winery Nashville, Nashville, Tennessee. Details.

• The John Sherwood Trio — Sherwood, piano; Scott Alexander, bass; and Brian Barlow, drums — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Sunday, December 5, at the Empire Theatre, Belleville, Ontario, Canada. Details.

• UPDATE: The Mich Shirey Trio — Shirey, guitar; Nick Fane, upright bass; and Dave Brandwein, drums — will present Guitar for Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Christmas Tribute on Sunday, December 5, at the Montrose Saloon in Chicago, Illinois. Details.

• Saxophonist Patrick Lamb and his Quartet — Dan Gaynor, piano; Dan Balmer, guitar; and Adam Carlson, drums — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Monday, December 6, at the Tower Theater in Bend, Oregon. Details.

• UPDATE: The Ed Vezinho and Jim Ward Big Band — featuring some of Atlantic City's finest showroom musicians — will perform the score from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Monday, December 6, at the Stockton Studies in the Arts' Campus Center Theatre, in Galloway, New Jersey. Details.

• The Peter Roberts Band will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on three consecutive Tuesdays — December 7, 14 and 21 — at Noce, Des Moines, Iowa. Details.

• UPDATE: The Commercialists — Anthony Deutsch, piano; Clay Schaub, bass; and Patrick Morrow, drums — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas nightly, two or three shows per evening, from Friday, December 10, through Tuesday, December 21, at the Jazz Estate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Details.

• The Jim Martinez Jazz Quartet — Arlyn Anderson, guitar; Matt Robinson, bass; and Tim Metz, drums — and guest vocalist Lauren Ross will present the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Friday, December 10, at the Fair Oaks Church in Fair Oaks, California. Details.

• UPDATE: The Ed Croft Trio — Croft, bass; Jake Malone Brancato, piano; and Candice Simone Thomas, drums — will present the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Friday, December 10, at the 1891 Fredonia Opera House in Fredonia, New York. Details. 

• The Stanford Jazz Workshop will host The Glen Pearson Trio — Pearson, piano; Ruth Davies, bass; and Lorca Hart, drums — in three performances of the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas, Friday through Sunday, December 10-12, at the Campbell Recital Hall, Stanford, California. Details.

• TT Mahony and Jeffrey Butzer will present their annual tribute to A Charlie Brown Christmas for three nights — Friday through Sunday, December 10-12 — at The Earl, in Atlanta, Georgia. Details. 

• The Cliff Habian Quartet — Habian, piano; Pete Cavano, guitar; Jeff Slater, bass; and Eric Everett, drums — will present A Tribute to the Music of Vince Guaraldi on Saturday, December 11, at The Fine Arts Association in Willoughby, Ohio. Details.

• UPDATE: The Vince Guaraldi Trio-bute — Alan Zemaitis, piano; Christopher Kettlewell, bass guitar; and Kyle Sullivan, drums — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Saturday, December 11, at The Dakota Tavern, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Details.

• The Taurey Butler Trio — Butler, piano; Frédéric Alarie, bass; and Wali Muhammad, drums — will present the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Saturday, December 11, at Théâtre Beaubois in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, Montreal, Quebec. Details.

• The Konrad Paszkudzki Trio, along with guest vocalist Olivia Chindamo, will celebrate the season with The Music of Vince Guaraldi on Sunday, December 12, at Saint Joseph's Arts Society, San Francisco, California. Details.

• UPDATE: The Mich Shirey Trio — Shirey, guitar; Nick Fane, upright bass; and Dave Brandwein, drums — will present a "Yule Log" special video devoted to his new Guaraldi tribute album, Guitar for Guaraldi, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, via YouTube, on Sunday, December 12. Mich promises to be present via the live chat. Check it out here!.

• UPDATE: The Jim Connerley Trio — Connerley, piano; Eric Sayer, bass; and Ben Bratton, drums — will present their annual tribute to A Charlie Brown Christmas on Sunday, December 12, at the Mansion Hill Sanctuary in Newport, Kentucky. Details.

• UPDATE: The Malcolm Granger Trio — Granger, piano; Rich Hill, bass; and Michael Dunford, percussion — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Sunday, December 12, at the Cotuit Center for the Arts in Cotuit, Massachusetts. Details.

• The Michelle Schumann Trio — Schumann, piano; Utah Hamrick, bass; and David Sierra, drums — will be joined by special guests for a performance of Vince Guaraldi's music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Sunday, December 12, at the Paramount Theatre, Austin, Texas. Details.

• The Jose "Juicy" Gonzales Trio — Gonzales, piano and vocals; Michael Marcus, bass; and Matt Jorgensen, drums — will present its 10th annual tribute to the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Sunday, December 12, at the Cornish Playhouse in Seattle, Washington. Details.

• UPDATE: The Mich Shirey Trio — Shirey, guitar; Nick Fane, upright bass; and Dave Brandwein, drums — will present Guitar for Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Christmas Tribute on Monday, December 13, at the aptly named Café Mustache in Chicago, Illinois. Details.

• TT Mahony and Jeffrey Butzer will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas Tuesday, December 14, at MadLife Stage & Studios, Woodstock, Georgia. Details. 

• The Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra will present Vince Guaraldi's music during a special presentation of A Charlie Brown Christmas — narrated by Quinn Greene, and featuring vocalist Jayme Giesbrecht — on Wednesday, December 15, at the West End Cultural Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Details.

• The Taurey Butler Trio — Butler, piano; Frédéric Alarie, bass; and Wali Muhammad, drums — will be joined by vocalist Marie-Christine Depestre for a performance the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas, on Wednesday and Thursday, December 11-12, at Salle Bourgie in Montreal, Quebec. Details.

• UPDATE: David Ellington's Peanut Gallery will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Tuesday through Thursday, December 14-16; Sunday, December 19; and Tuesday through Thursday, December 21-23; at Venkman's in Atlanta, Georgia. Details. 

• UPDATE: The Good Grief Trio — Greg Hankins, piano; Luca Lombardi, bass; and Seth Hendershot, drums — will present a tribute to Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas Wednesday, December 15, at the High Cotton Music Hall in Hartwell, Georgia. Details.

• The Michelle Schumann Trio — Schumann, piano; Utah Hamrick, bass; and David Sierra, drums — will present their annual concert of music from A Charlie Brown Christmas during afternoon and evening performances Thursday, December 16, at Stateside at the Paramount, in the Austin Chamber Music Center, Austin, Texas. A virtual option will be available for those unable to attend in person. Details.

• TT Mahony and Jeffrey Butzer will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas Thursday, December 16, at the 40 Watt Club, Athens, Georgia. Details. 

• UPDATE: The Aidan Scrimgeour Trio — Scrimgeour, piano; Matt Estabrook, bass; and PJ Holaday, drums — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Thursday, December 16, at Tufts University's Granoff Music Center, in Medford, Massachusetts. Details.

• The Good Grief Trio — Greg Hankins, piano; Luca Lombardi, bass; and Seth Hendershot, drums — will be joined by the Peanuts Choir (SJ Ursrey, William Kissane, Matthew Lawing and Sarah Lawing) for a tribute to Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas Thursday through Saturday, December 16-18, at Hendershot's Coffee Bar in Athens, Georgia. Details.

• UPDATE: The Sean Drabitt Trio — Drabitt, bass; Brent Jarvis, piano; and Joe Poole, drums — will perform the music from Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas Thursday through Saturday, December 16-18, at Hermann's Jazz Club in Victoria, British Columbia. Details.

• The Joe Cool Trio — John Milham, drums; Chris Spies, piano; and Chris Severin, bass — will once again present their 12th annual Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas concert on Friday, December 17, at the Laurel Little Theatre in Laurel, Mississippi. Details.

• UPDATE: The Aidan Scrimgeour Trio — Scrimgeour, piano; Matt Estabrook, bass; and PJ Holaday, drums — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Friday, December 17, at Studio FOLI in Salem, Massachusetts. Details.

• UPDATE: The Donovan Johnson Band — Johnson, piano; Ed Archibald, sax/flute; Kevin Kerwin, guitar; Steve Gomez, bass; William Nanson, drums; and Kent Barnes, percussion — will be joined by vocalist Stephen Sheehan for The Music of Vince Guaraldi and Peanuts, on Friday, December 17, at the Omaha Conservatory of Music, Omaha, Nebraska. Details.

• UPDATE: The Nate Hance Trio, along with the vocal stylings of Kijana, will present a tribute to A Charlie Brown Christmas, along with many other favorite holiday tunes, on Friday, December 17, at the Aster Café in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Details.

• The Jason Frederick Cinematic Trio — Frederick, piano; Scott Wheeler, double bass; and Dan Mullins, drums — will present The Music of Vince Guaraldi on Friday, December 17, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. Details.

• The David Gleason Sextet — Gleason, piano; Chris Pasin, trumpet; Ben O'Shea, trombone; Brian Patneaude, sax; Michael Lawrence, bass; and Pete Sweeney, drums — will present It's a Jazzy Christmas: Celebrating the Holiday Music of Vince Guaraldi on Friday, December 17, at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady, New York. Details.

• The Adam Shulman Trio — Shulman, piano; John Wiitala, bass; and James Gallagher, drums — has performed the music from Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas at SFJazz Center's Miner Auditorium, San Francisco, for the past several years. Last year was solely virtual, but this year they're back to live and in person: Friday and Saturday, December 17-18. (The Friday evening performance also will be streamed, but only to SFJazz members.) Details.

• UPDATE: The Ornaments — Jen Gunderman, piano; Martin Lynds, bass; and James Haggerty, drums — will be joined by numerous special guests for their 16th annual performance of music from A Charlie Brown Christmas Friday through Sunday, December 17-19, at The Wash at Eastside Bowl in Madison, Tennessee. Details.

• UPDATE: The Commercialists — Anthony Deutsch, piano; Clay Schaub, bass; and Patrick Morrow, drums — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas nightly, two or three shows per evening, through Tuesday, December 21, at the Jazz Estate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Details.

• The Jason Frederick Cinematic Trio —Frederick, piano; Scott Wheeler, double bass; and Dan Mullins, drums — will present a concert titled A Charlie Brown Christmas and the Music of Vince Guaraldi on Saturday, December 18, at the Colchester Arts Centre in Colchester, Essex, England. Details.

• UPDATE: The Jose "Juicy" Gonzales Trio — Gonzales, piano and vocals; Michael Marcus, bass; and Matt Jorgensen, drums — will present its 10th annual tribute to the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Saturday, December 18, at JazzClubs Northwest in North Bend, Washington. Details.

• UPDATE: The Aidan Scrimgeour Trio — Scrimgeour, piano; Matt Estabrook, bass; and PJ Holaday, drums — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Saturday and Sunday, December 18-19, at the Parish Center for the Arts in Westford, Massachusetts. Details.

• The Taurey Butler Trio — Butler, piano; Frédéric Alarie, bass; and Wali Muhammad, drums — will be joined by vocalist Marie-Christine Depestre for a performance the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas, on Saturday, December 18, at Le Café culturel de la Chasse-galerie in Lavaltrie, Quebec. Details.

• The Joe Cool Trio — John Milham, drums; Chris Spies, piano; and Chris Severin, bass — will once again present their 12th annual Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas concert on Saturday, December 18, at the Saenger Theatre in Mobile, Alabama. Details.

• The Ed Croft Trio — Croft, bass; Jake Malone Brancato, piano; and Candice Simone Thomas, drums — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Saturday and Sunday, December 18 and 19, at the Revolution Gallery in Buffalo, New York. Details.

• The Joe Cool Trio — John Milham, drums; Chris Spies, piano; and Chris Severin, bass — will once again present their 12th annual Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas concert on Sunday, December 19, at the Frog Pond in Silverhilll, Alabama. Details.

• UPDATE: Flautist Bill McBirnie and vocalist Shannon Butcher will lead a Charlie Brown Jazz Vespers on Sunday, December 19, at St. Paul's Anglican Church in Hamilton, Ontario. Details.

• UPDATE: The Jose "Juicy" Gonzales Trio — Gonzales, piano and vocals; Michael Marcus, bass; and Matt Jorgensen, drums — will present its 10th annual tribute to the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Sunday, December 19, at Tim Noah's Thumbnail Theater in Snohomish, Washington. Details.

• UPDATE: The Mahogany Hall Jazz Ensemble — Patrick Courtin, piano; Andrew Cullen, bass; James McRae, drums; and Simon Paterson, vocals — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas, along with holiday classics by Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and others, on Sunday, December 19, at Knox United Church, Parksville, British Columbia. Details.

• UPDATE: Jazz pianist Patrick Carr will be joined by "friends" for a tribute to A Charlie Brown Christmas and other Guaraldi compositions, on Monday, December 20, at Wild Birds in Brooklyn, New York. Details.

• The Jeremy Baum Quartet — Baum, piano; Chris Vitarello, guitar; Sue Williams, upright bass; and David Tedeschi, drums — will present Vince Guaraldi's music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Tuesday, December 21, at the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York. (Note: This event is solely for guests spending the night.) Details.

• Pianists Alex Guilbert and Chris McCarthy will be joined by other keyboardists for a celebration of the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Tuesday, December 21, at the Royal Room in Seattle, Washington. Details.

• The Annie Booth Trio — Booth, pianist; Patrick McDevitt, bass; and Alejandro Castaño, drums — will present their annual Charlie Brown Christmas tribute concerts Tuesday through Friday, December 21-24 — with multiple performances each day — at Dazzle, in Denver, Colorado. Details.

• UPDATE: Pianist Clifford Cameron will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Wednesday, December 22, at Blue, in Portland, Maine. Details.

• UPDATE: The Vince Guaraldi Trio-bute — Alan Zemaitis, piano; Christopher Kettlewell, bass guitar; and Kyle Sullivan, drums — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Wednesday, December 22, at The Edmund Burke in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Details.

• The Jazz Troubadours — Tom Rickard, vibes; Guy Cantonwine, upright bass; and Steve Davis, drums — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Wednesday, December 22, at Evangeline's Bistro in St. Louis, Missouri. Details.

• UPDATE: Veteran session trumpeter Mike Lewis will be joined by his jazz friends for their fifth annual celebration of A Charlie Brown Christmas on Wednesday, December 22, at the Blue Note in Honolulu, Hawaii. Details.

• The Sean Mason Trio — Mason, piano; Butler Knowles, bass; and Malcolm Charles, drums — will be joined by vocalist Tyra Scott for a quartet of Charlie Brown Christmas concerts Wednesday and Thursday, December 22-23, at Middle C Jazz in Charlotte, North Carolina. Details. 

• The Commercialists — Anthony Deutsch, piano; Clay Schaub, bass; and Patrick Morrow, drums — will perform the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas during a pair of concerts on Thursday, December 23, at the Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Details.

• UPDATE: The George Caldwell Trio will present A Vince Guaraldi Christmas on Thursday, December 23, at Tappo Pizza in Buffalo, New York. Details.

• UPDATE: The Jeremy Baum Trio — Baum, piano; Sue Williams, acoustic bass; and Peter O'Brien, drums — will present Vince Guaraldi's music from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Thursday, December 23, at Colony in Woodstock, New York. Details.

• The Duck Soup Trio — Adam Bravo, piano; Anthony Shadduck, bass; and Sam Webster, drums — will present a tribute to A Charlie Brown Christmas and the music of Vince Guaraldi on Thursday, December 23, at Campus Jax in Newport Beach, California. Details.

• UPDATED UPDATE: The Cliff Habian Quartet concert announced for Thursday, December 30, at The Market Garden Brewery in Cleveland, Ohio, has (alas!) been canceled. Details.

The sincerest form of flattery: 2019 update

This post originally appeared back in December 2012, and was updated in 2016. Although it deserves a fresh update this year — thanks to two new entries — adding to the original post wouldn't call attention to the enhanced information; there's also no reason newer readers would know anything about it. Ergo, a "repeat performance" with additional material. Enjoy!

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While writing the final chapter of my book on Guaraldi, when it came time to briefly mention the unusual phenomenon of contemporary musicians who’ve chosen to cover the entire Charlie Brown Christmas score, I paused long enough to wonder whether this has happened very often.

Granted, jazz is a genre that encourages such behavior; consider the number of folks who’ve put their own stamp on, say, Miles Davis’ “All Blues.” But covering an entire album?Surely, that must be unusual.

And, indeed, it is ... but, by a curious coincidence, one of my other favorite jazz albums — also a TV score — has garnered the same attention: Henry Mancini’s iconic soundtrack for Peter Gunn. The series ran for three seasons, from September 1958 through September 1961, and Mancini actually produced two albums: The Music from Peter Gunn (1958) and More Music from Peter Gunn (1959).

To say that Mancini’s swingin’ themes made a splash would be an understatement. The first album reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop LP Chart, and suddenly everybody wanted a piece of the action. All sorts of folks covered the groovin' title theme, with Ray Anthony's version spending 17 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between January 5 and April 27, 1959; it peaked at No. 8 the week of March 2.

Ted Nash, Maxwell Davis and Pete Candoli had released the first cover album, titled simply Peter Gunn, the year before; Nash, Pete and Conte Candoli, calling themselves the Soundstage All Stars, followed with More Peter Gunn in 1959. Drummer Shelly Manne & His Men also released two albums in 1959: Play Peter Gunn and Son of Gunn. The Joe Wilder Quartet joined the fun in 1959, with Jazz from Peter Gunn; Ray Ellis and his Orchestra followed in 1960, with The Best of Peter Gunn. Manne & His Men returned to the well in 1967, with the outré Jazz Gunn (a little too far out for my taste, but that's just one vote).

(If I’ve missed any others, please let me know.)

It’s simple, really: When listeners really, truly love a particular score, they can’t get enough of it. Leonard Bernstein’s music for West Side Story is another good example; I couldn’t begin to tabulate all the jazz cover versions that album generated.

We therefore shouldn’t be surprised that Guaraldi’s beloved Christmas album has received the same treatment, and increasingly more often as time has passed.

But are they any good?

In most cases, yes, and well worth your time and money. And since this is the holiday season, it seems an appropriate time to discuss them all.

But let’s make it a bit more fun, and score the contestants according to my own whimsical parameters. Points therefore will be awarded for...

1) Covering all four of Guaraldi’s original tunes: “Christmas Time Is Here,” “Christmas Is Coming,” “Skating” and “Linus and Lucy” (5 points each, for a total of 20);

2) Covering all five of the traditional Christmas songs that Guaraldi arranged and included on the album: “O Tannenbaum,” “What Child Is This, (aka Greensleeves)” “My Little Drum (aka The Little Drummer Boy),” “The Christmas Song” and “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” (5 points each, for a total of 25);

3) Plus covering Beethoven’s “Für Elise” (25 point bonus);

4) And presenting them in the same album sequence (50 point bonus).

Fresh jazz covers of additional Christmas songs are nice, but count neither toward nor against the total score.

Finally, 10 points will be subtracted for unimaginatively calling the album A Charlie Brown Christmas, because that’s confusing. At the very least, the artist(s) in question should give their work some sort of original title.

Please note, though: The final tally applies solely to how faithful the cover elements are, and in no way reflects the musicality present. Jim Martinez’s album may score low in the “perfect cover” department, but it’s one of my favorites on this list.

Onward!

A Jolly Guaraldi Holiday 2019

My goodness.

It feels like these annual productions are multiplying exponentially.

Which means that it's time once again for this annual round-up of the many Guaraldi-themed concerts taking place between now and the end of the year, most of which (of course!) are tied in to his music from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Numerous bands and individuals across the United States —- and elsewhere! -- clearly have turned this into a cottage industry. Goodness, some of them even have expanded into Halloween- and Thanksgiving-themed concerts, featuring music from those respective Peanuts TV specials. High-fives to all of them, for keeping Guaraldi's musical torch aloft! I traced the history and growth of this delightful tradition back in 2012, with a modest schedule that now seems quaint. This year's post will serve as a clearinghouse for any and all  2019 concerts that come to my attention. 

As always, I'll add to this schedule as new information becomes available, so you'll want to check back frequently.

As has become a tradition, the most ambitious tour comes from Concord recording artist David Benoit, who once again is taking his holiday show on the road. Many of the dates will find Benoit once again accompanied by vocalist Sara Gazarek. Their schedule kicks off November 29 in Rockport Massachusetts; and concludes December 22 in San Juan Capistrano, California, with stops along the way in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Washington and Florida. We caught Benoit's performance in 2011 and 2015, and I can report that it's a great show. It's also tremendously sweet, since he and his team work with a children's choir that is local to each stop. Check his web site for details.

Our Canadian neighbors once again can enjoy the return of the season's most historic booking. Drummer Jerry Granelli, who worked as a member of Guaraldi's trio in the 1960s, will headline Tales of A Charlie Brown Christmas with his own trio: Simon Fisk (bass) and Chris Gestrin (piano). He began this annual celebration with a few shows in 2013, and the results were quite popular (no surprise there). You can catch him this year on Thursday, November 28, at the Yukon Arts Centre in Whitehorse (details); Saturday, November 30, at Calgary's Bella Concert Hall (details); Thursday, December 5, at Ottawa's Dominion-Chalmers United Church (details); Wednesday and Thursday, December 11-12, at Burnaby, BC's James Cowan Theatre (details); and Sunday, December 15, at Halifax's Spatz Theatre (details).

A Jolly Guaraldi Holiday 2018

Thanksgiving arrived early this year, so I'm a few days later than usual, with this annual round-up of the many Guaraldi-themed concerts taking place during the next month, most of which (of course!) are tied in to his music from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

It has become quite obvious that numerous bands and individuals across the country —- and elsewhere! -- have turned this into a popular tradition. Goodness, some of them even have expanded into Halloween- and Thanksgiving-themed concerts, featuring music from those Peanuts TV specials. High-fives to all of them, for keeping Guaraldi's musical torch aloft! I traced the history and growth of this delightful tradition back in 2012, with a modest schedule that now seems quaint. This new post will serve as a clearinghouse for any and all late 2018 concerts that come to my attention. As always, I'll add to this schedule as new information becomes available, so you'll want to check back frequently.

Our Canadian neighbors once again can enjoy the return of the season's most historic booking. Drummer Jerry Granelli, who worked as a member of Guaraldi's trio in the 1960s, will headline Tales of A Charlie Brown Christmas with his own trio: Simon Fisk (bass) and Chris Gestrin (piano). He began this annual celebration with a few shows in 2013, and the results were quite popular (no surprise there). His appearances were modest last year, but he has bounced back with six gigs this season, starting Saturday, December 1, at Calgary's Central United Church; and concluding Saturday, December 15, at St. Alberg's Arden Theater. Check his web site for details.

As has become a biannual tradition, the most ambitious tour news comes from Concord recording artist David Benoit, who once again is taking his on the road. (He tends to tour with saxman Dave Koz every other year.) Benoit once again will be accompanied by special guest Sara Gazarek. Their schedule kicks off November 27 in Phoenix, Arizona; and concludes December 23 in San Juan Capistrano, California, with stops along the way in Oregon, Illinois, New Jersey and Colorado. We caught Benoit's performance in 2011 and 2015, and I can report that it's a great show. It's also tremendously sweet, since he and his team work with a children's choir that is local to each stop. Check his web site for details.

The Heather Pierson Trio — Pierson on piano; Shawn Nadeau on bass; Craig Bryan on drums — has scheduled a tour of (thus far) 10 shows devoted to A Charlie Brown Christmas. All the shows are in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts: They kick off December 1 in Conway, New Hampshire; and conclude December 21 in Framingham, Massachusetts. Check her web site for details.

The Cartoon Christmas Trio — Jeff Knoettner, piano; Rob Swanson, bass; Jimmy Coleman, drums — doesn't concentrate solely on music from A Charlie Brown Christmas; they also pepper their performances with tunes from other animated holiday shows, such as Frosty the Snowman and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. (Their album is a kick; give it a listen.) They have several shows scheduled thus far, starting Sunday, December 2, in Milton, Delaware; and concluding Sunday, December 23, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Check their web site for details.

Swinging holiday Juice

Way back in the day — seven years before A Charlie Brown Christmas debuted — Henry Mancini’s groundbreaking jazz soundtrack album for the TV series Peter Gunn was quite the rage. It spent well over a year on Billboard’s Top LPs chart, won two Grammy Awards — Album of the Year, and Best Arrangement — and prompted Mancini to release a sequel, More Music from Peter Gunn, later that same year. Both LPs were so popular that they spawned a unique cottage industry, when other jazz stars — most notably Shelly Manne, Ted Nash, Joe Wilder, Ray Ellis and Pete Candoli — covered the entire album.

Flash forward half a century, and Guaraldi’s equally iconic 1965 soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas has garnered the same attention. It actually started with Cyrus Chestnut’s 2000 album of the same title, and more recently has included releases by the Eric Byrd Trio (2009) and The Ornaments (2011). Jazz pianists David Benoit and Jim Martinez also have covered the entire album over time, although not all at once, each taking several releases to do so.

Additional examples can be found in this earlier blog post.

To this group we now can add jazz pianist Jose “Juicy” Gonzales, who has presented Charlie Brown Christmas concerts for several years now, in his home town of Seattle, Washington.

Linus and Juicy: A Holiday Album covers almost all of Guaraldi’s score — “What Child Is This”/“Greensleeves” was left behind — along with some apt extras. The versatile Gonzales is ably supported by bassist Michael Marcus and drummer Matt Jorgensen, both of whom get plenty of chances to demonstrate their own chops. The album opens with a ferocious double-time reading of “White Christmas” that positively roars, and offers lively keyboard and bass solos: just a taste of further delights to come.

Given how many hundreds (thousands?) of soloists, combos and bands have covered “Linus and Lucy,” this album’s highlight may well be “Linus and Juicy,” Gonzales’ playful and marvelously unique arrangement of that tune: a wild re-interpretation also highlighted by another of Marcus’ sleek bass solos. The trio’s handling of “Skating” is buoyant and lyrical; “Christmas Is Coming” is aggressively peppy, with a terrific swing bridge dominated by Marcus’ walking bass.

Jorgensen sets an infectious march tempo for “Little Drummer Boy,” adding tasty percussion touches behind Gonzales’ lyrical keyboard noodling; “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” is suitably thoughtful and majestic. Gonzales opens “O Tannenbaum” with gentle solo piano, in a respectful echo of Guaraldi’s arrangement, and then “expands” the tune with some delectable swing that invites a tasty bass solo, which segues to lively byplay between keyboard and drums.

A lengthy, 7-minute arrangement of “Christmas Time Is Here” is properly gentle, offering plenty of lyrical improv by both Gonzales and Marcus. Unexpectedly droll and up-tempo readings of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and “Silent Night” deliver more sizzle than we generally expect from these two reverential carols.

Gonzales adds enthusiastic but clearly untrained vocals to “The First Noel” and “The Christmas Song,” which may raise eyebrows; although his delivery is heartfelt, Tony Bennett and Harry Connick Jr. have nothing to worry about. But that’s a minor quibble, given the finger-snapping “juice” that characterizes the rest of the album. It’s a must for Guaraldi fans, and can be ordered here.

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BITS AND BOBS

December always unleashes a string of tributes to Guaraldi and A Charlie Brown Christmas, most of which are amateur noodlings from individuals who do little or no research, and add nothing of merit to the discussion. But this year is far better than usual, starting with Ethan Iverson’s scholarly piece in no less than The New Yorker.

Other items of interest:

• Michael G. Williams’ detailed history of Guaraldi, in Tribune

• Charles Mudede’s excellent feature in The Stranger

• A short but delightful new CBC Radio interview with drummer Jerry Granelli

• Matt Draper’s nicely assembled short YouTube documentary about Guaraldi