Linus & Lucy: The Music Of Vince Guaraldi
WhileVince Guaraldi's piano playing and composing have had a big influence on George Winston's work, there is little sense of direct imitation in this affecting tribute to the man who composed the memorable music for the television specials based on cartoonist Charles M. Schultz'sPeanutscharacters. Winston's solo piano style is fuller and more reflective than Guaraldi's, a hearty blend of powerful chords and subdued rhythms. It seems to embrace Guaraldi's tunes, both thePeanutssongs, like the title tune and "You're in Love, Charlie Brown," and Guaraldi's other music, like "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" and "Monterey," which seems to blend somber tones with an almost luminous quality. The warmth, wit, and whimsy here evoke memories of the best work of Guaraldi and Schultz.--Adam Rains