Vince Guaraldi: The Peanuts Illustrated Songbook

Fifty years. 350 million readers in 75 countries. 2 600 newspapers in 21 languages. Four feature films and over 60 beloved TV specials. One cast of characters: Peanuts?. Lovingly rendered by the late Charles Schulz Peanuts is much more than a simple comic strip. Charlie Brown Linus Lucy and of course Snoopy have sneaked into our psyche and become international symbols of purity and happiness. Schulz created the characters but it was the music of Vince Guaraldi that gave them life. Pre-Peanuts Bay Area pianist and composer Guaraldi was best known for penning the standard ?Cast Your Fate to the Wind ? but his own fate would soon change; when producer LeeMendelson solicited him to score a documentary on Schulz and subsequent television specials Guaraldi's music became inextricably linked with Peanuts. Through the swinging beats of ?Linus & Lucy? on the soundtrack to A Boy Named Charlie Brown and the festive refrains on the holiday classic A Charlie Brown Christmas he and his trio introduced millions of people to jazz in the mid-'60s and far beyond. Now for the first time available with easy Piano arrangements this coffee-table quality songbook is a celebration of the art of Charles Schulz and the music of Vince Guaraldi. Within its stunning full-color high-gloss pages are: an introduction by veteran music journalist Hank Bordowitz which provides background on how the Schulz/Mendelson/Guaraldi collaboration came to be and reflections from fellow musicians influenced by Guaraldi's music; and Piano solo arrangements of 30 terrific tunes each featuring a Peanuts illustration by Schulz. The songs include: Baseball Theme Blue Charlie Brown The Christmas Song Christmas Time Is Here Frieda (With the Naturally Curly Hair) Great Pumpkin Waltz Happiness Theme Linus and Lucy Oh Good Grief The Pebble Beach Theme Peppermint Patty Red Baron Schroeder Skating and more. This book will be an absolute treasure for any Peanuts or jazz fan!