A Vince Guaraldi Discography

Vince Guaraldi (1928-76) recorded prolifically throughout his career, but his last album was released some seven years before he died. While Guaraldi recorded plenty more that was never issued during his lifetime, some of this music is finally being released by Gauraldi’s son, David, on the family’s own D&D imprint.

Unfortunately, Vince Guaraldi has not yet received a good discographical history and it’s likely that a good one – or a complete one – is simply not possible. Guaraldi’s records were always poorly annotated and the treasure trove of unreleased tapes that came into David Guaraldi’s possession are likely not marked well at all. Dates, sidemen, even song titles might well be guesses at best (which begins to explain some of the questionable info on the D&D CDs).

Still, a good basic discography is in order and one is presented in the three parts below. The different sections may be a good way to know where the music comes from and make it easy to root through the differing titles out there (the Charlie Brown titles can get a bit confusing).

Vince Guaraldi also recorded prolifically on the West Coast with Woody Herman (1956-59), Gus Mancuso (1956), Conte Candoli (1957-1960), Frank Rosolino (1957), Brew Moore (1958), Richie Kamuca (1959), Victor Feldman (1959), Mongo Santamaria (1959), Jimmy Witherspoon (1959-62) and, most notably Cal Tjader (1957-59). But as this music is fairly unlikely to satisfy a listener who knows little of Vince Guaraldi and wants to know what else there is to hear, it is not listed here. Also, these artists tend to be cataloged a bit better than Vince Guaraldi has been.

Recordings Issued During Vince Guaraldi’s Lifetime

1955 – Modern Music From San Francisco (Fantasy 3213 – with Ron Crotty Trio and Jerry Dodgion Quartet)
1956 – Vince Guaradli Trio (Fantasy 3225)
1957 – A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing (Fantasy 3257)
1962 – Jazz Impressions of Black Opheus (Fantasy 3337 – also known as Cast Your Fate To The Wind)
1962 – In Person (Fantasy 3352)
1963 – Vince Guaraldi/Bola Sete/And Friends (Fantasy 3356)
1964 – The Latin Side Of Vince Guaraldi (Fantasy 3360)
1964 – Jazz Impressions Of A Boy Named Charlie Brown (Fantasy 5017/85017 – later issued as A Boy Named Charlie Brown)
1965 – Vince Guaraldi At Grace Cathedral (Fantasy 3367 – issued on CD as The Grace Cathedral Concert in 1997, Fantasy 9678)
1965 – From All Sides (with Bola Sete) (Fantasy 8371)
1965 – A Charlie Brown Christmas (Fantasy 5019/85019)
1966 – Vince Guaraldi & Bola Sete Live At El Matador (Fantasy 8371)
1967 – Vince Guaraldi and the San Francisco Boys Choir (D&D 1116)
1968 – Oh Good Grief! (Warner Bros. 1747)
1969 – The Eclectic Vince Guaraldi (Warner Bros. 1775)
1969 – Alma-ville (Warner Bros. 1828)
1969 – A Boy Named Charlie Brown (Columbia Masterworks 3500 – with Rod McKeun and John Scott Trotter)

Recordings Issued After Vince Guaraldi’s Death

1962 – Jazz Casual: Paul Winter/Bola Sete/Vince Guaraldi (Koch 8566 – issued 2001)
1969 – The Charlie Brown Suite & Other Favorites (Bluebird 53900, issued 2003)
19?? – North Beach (D&D 4465 – issued 2006)
1971 – Oaxaca (D&D 1125 – 2004)
1972-75(?) – Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials (D&D 1118 – issued 2006)
1973-74(?) – Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials – Volume 2 (D&D 1119 – issued 2008)
1974 – Live On The Air (D&D 1120 – issued 2008)

Compilations

1964 – Jazz Impressions (Fantasy 3337)
1980 – Greatest Hits (Fantasy 7706)
1998 – Charlie Brown’s Holiday Hits (Fantasy 9682 – includes five
previously unissued tracks)
2000 – Vince & Bola (combines Vince Guaraldi/Bola Sete/And Friends with Vince Guaraldi & Bola Sete Live At El Matador (Fantasy
24756)
2009 – Essential Standards (OJC 31426)
2009 – The Definitive Vince Guaraldi (Fantasy 31462 – includes two
previously unissued tracks)