Vince Guaraldi Biography

Vince Guaraldi described himself as “a reformed boogie-woogie piano player,” but he is better known as the composer of cheery jazz music for the Charlie Brown television specials of the 1960s and 1970s. Guaraldi came up through the beatnik-era San Francisco music scene of the 1950s, eventually forming a succession of jazz trios. His 1962 recording “Cast Your Fate To the Wind” was a surprise hit on national pop music charts. He recorded with Cal Tjader and Bola Sete among many others. Despite his successes in pure jazz, Guaraldi is remembered for his scores for the “Peanuts” animated TV specials, beginning with A Charlie Brown Christmas in 1965.