A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (soundtrack)

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: Original Soundtrack Recording is a soundtrack album by American jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi released on October 20, 2023, in the U.S. by Lee Mendelson Film Productions. It is the soundtrack to the Thanksgiving-themed television special of the same name first broadcast on the CBS network on November 20, 1973.

Background
Shortly after producer Lee Mendelson passed away in December 2019, his children began searching through archives for any original music score recordings from the Peanuts television specials. It was during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown that original analog session tapes recorded in 1973 were discovered. The recordings included all music cues recorded by Guaraldi and music arranger John Scott Trotter as well as several alternate takes.

The original session tapes feature unedited, complete recordings, originally captured and mixed in stereo. The recordings were transferred to a high-resolution digital at 192 kHz/24 bit from 2-inch 16 track stereo masters.

Recording
The score was performed by the Vince Guaraldi Quintet on August 20, 22 and September 4, 1973, at Wally Heider Studios, featuring Tom Harrell (trumpet), Chuck Bennett (trombone), Seward McCain (electric bass) and Mike Clark (drums).

Critical reception
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving was met with critical acclaim upon its release.

Pitchfork critic Vanessa Ague commended Guaraldi for assembling a proficient ensemble to bring to life upbeat compositions with a strong emphasis on brass and rhythm, noting that the score offers a "lithe, funky counterpart to the wintry, wistful moods of A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965). Ague further observes that "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving reminds us of the full breadth of his scores," concluding that "the genius of Guaraldi’s scores was the way he mapped the many emotions that erupted in a Peanuts comic strip, and on Thanksgiving, he shows them all." All About Jazz critic James Aren remarked that Guaraldi's "creative process is fully displayed here through multiple takes of various tracks," highlighting that it is evident Guaraldi and his band approached the music with seriousness, even while having fun. Aren further noted that, although true jazz enthusiasts might find the short cues unsatisfactory, this brevity likely contributed to the music's broad appeal and distinctly reflects the early 1970s. Aren perceptively noted that Guaraldi, then in his forties, strategically collaborated with younger musicians in their twenties, thereby infusing the work with contemporary vitality. He also identified the influence of Stevie Wonder on "Peppermint Patty," highlighting Guaraldi's incorporation of the funky clavinet and the use of multi-layered techniques emblematic of fusion music. The Independent critic Steven Wine notes that exuberant, youthful melodies serve as a recurring motif, accompanied by "skittering, deceptively funky grooves, which seem both unpredictable and natural, like the rhythms of a playground." Wine concludes that Peanuts and its accompanying music maintain an enduring timelessness. When interviewed by WCB Jazz Vinyl Collector, Sean Mendelson described the music as "little nuggets of melodic candy," asserting that there is sufficient musical substance to satisfy listeners and evoke memories of their childhood.

Original 1973 personnel

 * Vince Guaraldi Quintet:
 * Vince Guaraldi – acoustic piano, electric keyboards, clavinet, electric guitar, vocal on "Little Birdie"
 * Seward McCain – electric bass
 * Tom Harrell – trumpet, brass arrangements
 * Chuck Bennett – trombone
 * Mike Clark – drums


 * Additional:
 * John Scott Trotter – orchestrator

2023 release personnel

 * Sean Mendelson – producer, liner notes
 * Jason Mendelson – producer
 * Vinson Hudson – restoration and mastering
 * Terry Carleton – remix engineer
 * Megan Rible – layout art
 * Deluxe Entertainment Services Group – tape transfer