Now my favorite Christmas album of all time... From Vince Guaraldi's website. The jazz pianist's association with Charles Schulz's creations actually had begun the year before, when Guaraldi was hired to score the first Peanuts television special, adocumentary called"A Boy Named Charlie Brown " (not to be confused with the big- screen feature of the same title). The show brought together four remarkable talents: Schulz, writer/producer/director Lee Mendelson, artist Bill Melendez and Guaraldi. Guaraldi's smooth trio compositions -- piano, bass and drums -- perfectly balanced Charlie Brown's kid-sized universe. Sprightly, puckish, and just as swiftly somber and poignant, these gentle jazz riffs established musical trademarks which, to this day, still prompt smiles of recognition. They reflected the whimsical personality of a man affectionately known as a "pixie", an image Guaraldi did not discourage. He'd wear funny hats, wild mustaches, and display hairstyles from buzzed crewcuts to rock-star shags. Unfortunately, with an irony that seemed appropriate for a documentary about Charlie Brown, Mendelson never was able to sell the show, which remains unseen to this day by the general public. Fortunately, the unaired program became an expensive calling-card that attracted a sponsor (Coca-Cola) intrigued by the notion of a Peanuts Christmas TV special. Thus, when "A Charlie Brown Christmas" debuted in December 1965, it did more than reunite Schulz, Mendelson, Melendez and Guaraldi, all of whom quickly turned the Peanuts franchise into a television institution. That first special also shot Guaraldi to greater fame, and he became irreplaceably welded to all subsequent Peanuts shows. Many of his earliest Peanuts tunes -- "Linus and Lucy", "Red Baron" and "Great Pumpkin Waltz", among others -- became signature themes that turned up in later specials. Guaraldi became so busy that the ensuing decade saw only half a dozen album releases, three of them direct results of his Peanuts work: "A Boy Named Charlie Brown", "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "Oh, Good Grief!" http://www.vinceguaraldi.com/biography1.htm
This is an unusual mix, Christmas music on an All Sports Station hosted by a man of the Jewish faith who writes for the Dallas Observer (Robert Wilonsky). He has been doing this for the past few years since he really likes Christmas music, especially unusual Christmas music. The three hour show I think will be restreamed on Christmas day starting around 4 P.M. http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/12/request_lines_are_now_open_for.php http://www.theticket.com/
My preference is for the classic Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry cartoons partially because of the music. A majority of modern cartoons do not interest me because of the lack of content and music. Here is the intro for one that has to be the most sophisticated since the days of Carl Stalling. The Japanese Amine is called "Cowboy Bebop" and here is it's opening theme on the show and later played by the band (The Seatbelts) live. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seatbelts In case you don't know who Carl Stalling was... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Stalling
Agreed. She passed from the scene way too soon. Wonderful talent! In some ways, she reminds me of the English singer guitarist Nick Drake. Both were extremely talented but neither got the credit and attention they deserved while alive.
Wow, Nick Drake is really good! Right now I am listening to Kate Wolf singing Here in California. Another outstanding singer who left way too soon. That song and the video capture perfectly the laid back mellowness of California's golden hills in times past (and even today in many places).
These are Israeli Druze soldiers singing a funny song that puts down Hizbullah. I can provide a translation on request. This past summer, myself and a couple of Lebanese friends of mine were sitting outside at this shisha cafe, and I started to sing this song, and they joined in with me. We got some dirty looks from 2 guys sitting at a few tables away from us!
Here is another song which the Druze soldiers in the IDF love. It's also a favorite of mine! I started to sing it at that shisha place, and my friends nearly fainted from shock!
Well, she is still following in some real good shoes. Her late father starred in a movie about the life of W.C. Handy (played by Nat) called St. Louis Blues. The movie was not a great movie, in terms of plot, but was in reality a vehicle for the songs. The songs more than makes up for any shortcomings in the plot. Another song in this movie is called The Morning Star. Nat's treatment of this song is a gentle and lovely tribute to a mother's love.
Thanks for providing that GDCarrington!! I never knew that her father had sung that same song...how cool! Natalie has done a great job, in following in her father's footsteps...what a voice!