Vince Guaraldi - Peanuts Portraits: The Classic Character Themes (2010)

The three-star rating is given because there probably are a great deal more of Vince Guaraldi's recordings out there. Since the whole CD clocks in at only about 34 minutes, this seems like a high price to pay for a CD that is not completely Vince, and only has eleven tracks. The George Winston tracks, while a fitting tribute, do not really have the spirit of the original Guaraldi recordings, being simply solo piano. The clunkers on this CD are tracks 2 and 6. The inclusion of saxophone does not really seem to fit the timbre of Guaraldi's Fender Rhodes-laced jazz. The instrumental version of 'Joe Cool' has some fine piano and brass work, but possesses an ear-splitting whistle. If you're just starting to get into Guaraldi (and are not as much of a purist as I am), this might be the place for you to start. If you want a more truthful representation for the feel of his work, pick up 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'.