Review: Vince Guaraldi’s Complete ‘It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown’ Score Gets First-Ever Release

Any new Vince Guaraldi album featuring previously unreleased versions of classic themes like “Little Birdie” and “Joe Cool” certainly catches my attention. Such is the case with the first-time release of the complete score to the February 1974 Peanuts TV special It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown, featuring outstanding music by the legendary composer, pianist, and performer.

With his career catapulting after the mid-’60s mega-success of A Charlie Brown Christmas, Vince Guaraldi continued pushing his own personal envelope with each subsequent album release, exploring new instrumentation and musical constructs. He was even hanging out with the Grateful Dead for a spell in the late ’60s (look for him in the group photo on the back cover of the Dead’s Aoxomoxoa!).

So, it’s not surprising to me that he learned how to play guitar, and by the time of It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown, his style had become quite accomplished. Here, he lends some bluesy electric guitar textures to his compositions in addition to piano, electric piano, clavinet and… whistling!

These new Peanuts soundtrack releases are important because there were never really official albums issued back in the day, aside from some poorly executed children’s records that included dialogue. Finally hearing all of this lost music curated into bona fide listening experiences is a joy!

Clocking in at more than 42 minutes, 15 of It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown’s 21 tracks comprise the complete cue score. Four alternate and unused tracks from the recording sessions, plus two excellent covers of jazz standards — including an exemplary extended exploration of “Autumn Leaves” by the full band and Charlie Parker’s “Billie’s Bounce” — round out the offering.

At times funky and always grooving, Guaraldi’s score is propelled by the outstanding rhythm section of pioneering Oakland “East Bay Funk” drummer Mike Clark (Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters, Betty Davis, Brand X, etc.) and session bassist Seward McCain.

Produced by Sean and Jason Mendelson, sons of longtime Peanuts television producer Lee Mendelson who now run their father’s film company, the It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown soundtrack was mixed at the San Francisco Bay Area’s Bones and Knives Studio by engineer Terry Carleton. The recordings were restored and remastered by Vinson Hudson.

It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown also includes a 12 page booklet packed with rare photos and stills from the TV special. Sean and Jason Mendelson contribute extensive liner notes and track by track analysis, respectively, while acclaimed Guaraldi biographer Derrick Bang rounds out the package with new essays.

As with past Peanuts soundtrack releases, the producers have had some fun with the packaging. In keeping with the theme of the show, the album includes a bonus magnifying glass card that you can use to find hidden clues throughout the package and unlock special bonus material online.

No spoilers here, but I had fun finding many of the clues and ultimately getting to hear the complete bonus track, a portion of which is included on the vinyl in its own hidden locked groove section!

All in all It’s A Mystery, Charlie Brown is another completely solid, great sounding and enjoyable new Vince Guaraldi album release. You can order the black vinyl edition via Amazon for $32.99. There are also numerous exclusive color variants available from different retailers, including Barnes & Noble, Urban Outfitters and independent record stores.

Our Ratings

★★★★★★★★★★ Music

★★★★★★★★★★ Sound

★★★★★★★★★★ Packaging

Where to Buy:

Mark Smotroff is a deep music enthusiast / collector who has also worked in entertainment oriented marketing communications for decades supporting the likes of DTS, Sega and many others. He reviews vinyl for Analog Planet and has written for Audiophile Review, Sound+Vision, Mix, EQ, etc. You can learn more about him at LinkedIn.