In both his detailed biography on Vince Guaraldi and the extensive sleeve notes accompanying this previously unreleased soundtrack, author Derrick Bang emphasises just how busy 1969 was for the pianist and composer best known for scoring Charles Shultz’s Peanuts.
Indeed, leading up to, and either side of the recording sessions for what became the sixth Peanuts TV special, It Was a Short Summer Charlie Brown, Guaraldi managed to record two studio albums, tour extensively with his trio, work on music for the first full-length Peanuts movie, tirelessly rehearse up a Charlie Brown symphonic suite and re-stage, twice, a jazz trio-scored mass in a cathedral in his native San Francisco.
It Was A Short Summer follows similar releases of previously unreleased scores for 1966’s It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (released in 2022) and 1973’s A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (2023), and has been remembered fondly by fans as one of Guaraldi’s strongest for the TV and film franchise. This may have been due to the producers of the popular cartoon, Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, giving Guaraldi more creative space to work and build on new pieces and revive some of his old classic tunes to complement the shorter cue tracks, all of which are featured here.
Arranged and conducted by John Scott Trotter (who worked on Peanuts specials between 1966 and ’75), the 30-minute set opens with the Charlie Brown theme, a light swinger with a simple call and response melody played between Guaraldi and Herb Ellis on guitar. Guaraldi’s signature Linus And Lucy follows and, sticking to its original form, is given a lift by Frank Rosolino on trombone and light vibraphone from none other than the great Victor Feldman. With equally strong accompaniment from bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Jack Spurling throughout, it’s interesting how the vibes, guitar, woodwind and various horns enhance Guaraldi’s work, particularly on the bossa-felt title track, the funky Masked Marvel, the seductive flute feature Pebble Beach and, maybe more so, on Guaraldi favourites from previous specials such as Oh, Good Grief!, You’re In Love, Charlie Brown and the memorable Peppermint Patty, played here on sax as opposed to what was originally Guaraldi’s piano.
The soundtrack also stands out thanks to lively performances from Guaraldi and band through tracks such as the Latin-tinged waltzer Bus Blues, the sassy, piano-led Frieda and the short but stunning ballad Bon Voyage. Mostly heard for the first time minus effects, dialogue and edits, It Was A Short Summer is essential listening for Shultz, swing and Guaraldi fans alike, a disc our man Derrick Bang summarises as Vince Guaraldi’s “richest and swinging-est”, no less.
Discography
Charlie Brown Theme; Linus And Lucy; It Was A Short Summer, Charlie Brown; Oh, Good Grief; You’re In Love, Charlie Brown; Schroeder; Bus Blues/Bus Blues (Reprise); It Was A Short Summer, Charlie Brown (reprise); Frieda (With The Naturally Curly Hair); Oh Good Grief (Reprise); Come And Get It / Hash / Hash With Horn / Am Break/ Tah Dah; Bon Voyage; Peppermint Patty; Love Will Come (Nova Bossa); He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown; Pebble Beach; You’re In Love, Charlie Brown (reprise); He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown (reprise); Masked Marvel; Air Music; Masked Marvel (reprise)/Masked Marvel (2nd reprise); You’re In Love, Charlie Brown (2nd reprise); Linus And Lucy (reprise); Oh, Good Grief! (2nd reprise); Charlie Brown Theme (reprise); It Was A Short Summer, Charlie Brown (2nd reprise); Linus And Lucy (alternate); Working On It Was A Short Summer, Charlie Brown; Bus Blues (alternate); Pebble Beach (alternate); Masked Marvel (alternate); Linus & Lucy (alternate) (27.00)
Conti Candoli, Pete Candoli (t); Frank Rosolini (tb); Peter Christlieb, William Hood (ww); Guaraldi (p); Herb Ellis (g); Monty Budwig (b); Jack Sperling (d); Victor Feldman (pc). Western Recorders, Inc, Hollywood, California, 11 and 12 September 1969.
Lee Mendelson Film Productions LM24SSO2
