CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Many know the name Charlie Brown, but what about Vince Guaraldi? By name, Guaraldi might not be as popular as the iconic cartoon character — but his music almost certainly is.
"Like many children, I grew up watching ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ every year as a family tradition,” said local pianist Chris White. “And like others, little did I know that I was listening to great, straight-ahead jazz, too.”
Chicagoland residents can now add White’s name to their association with the holiday season. For six years, the Chris White Trio has recreated Guaraldi’s original Charlie Brown arrangements for live audiences. In doing so, the trio has brought to the forefront music that has acted as a backdrop to one of the most beloved holiday classics for nearly 60 years.
“To me, Guaraldi’s music is timeless and has universal appeal,” White said. “Jazz fans can appreciate the harmonic complexity and advanced improvisation, yet many can hum the melodies. Perhaps more than anyone else, he has brought jazz to the masses.”
White said it wasn’t until high school that he really started to pay attention to the fact that Guaraldi composed the soundtrack to “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” That’s around the same time White was getting into jazz.
“I learned as many of Guaraldi’s songs as I could by ear and with sheet music,” he said. “I’ve been playing his music since, especially ‘Linus and Lucy,’ as many people are familiar with it.”
White said that in performing “A Charlie Brown Christmas” for live audiences over the years, he’s seen firsthand how close people feel to Guaraldi’s music.
“The more I perform these shows, the more I realize how important and meaningful this music is to so many people,” White said. “But I am not surprised. It brings back warm feelings of being with family and friends during the holidays, memories of ones dear to us, or perhaps a longing for simple times.”
The Chris White Trio will perform “A Charlie Brown Christmas” Sunday at Lincoln Park Zoo. A full schedule, with dates for dozens of performances through the holiday season in Chicago and throughout the suburbs, can be found at Chriswhitepiano.com
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