Vince Guaraldi - It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown (55th Anniversary) [45 RPM]

Vince Guaraldi's music for It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown finally has a record of its own, a 55th anniversary edition cut at 45 RPM.

The 1969 Peanuts special sent Charlie Brown and friends off to summer camp, and Guaraldi scored it with an expanded ensemble rather than his usual trio. Recorded in September 1969 at Western Recorders, the sessions featured arranger and conductor John Scott Trotter, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Monty Budwig, drummer Jack Sperling and percussionist Victor Feldman, with trumpets, trombone and woodwinds filling out the sound. The soundtrack had never been issued until this restored and remastered release in 2024.

Linus and Lucy appears in fresh, swinging form, its bouncing left hand instantly recognisable, while Bus Blues rides a relaxed, finger-snapping groove that captures the long trip to camp. Peppermint Patty gets her own brisk theme, and Masked Marvel adds a playful touch of drama. Alongside the cues sit previously unheard alternate takes and working sessions that let you eavesdrop on the band in the studio.

Guaraldi's piano is as warm and witty as ever, and the bigger lineup gives his melodies a breezy, sun-dappled lift.

Peanuts collectors and jazz fans alike will find a lovely lost chapter of a much-loved musical world here, finally on the shelf where it belongs.