Editing Vince Guaraldi (section)

==Legacy==
The revival of Vince Guaraldi's music has been driven by tribute albums, archival rediscoveries, and growing recognition of his contributions to the ''Peanuts'' franchise, which established a musical identity that was both sophisticated and widely accessible. Although the absence of a formal recording contract, misplaced master tapes, and skepticism within the jazz community initially impeded preservation efforts, dedicated archival work and sustained public enthusiasm have ensured the survival of his compositions.<ref name=sfcv/> Guaraldi's ''Peanuts'' scores remain among the most recognizable and influential works in television music history. His distinctive blend of jazz and lighthearted melodies became inseparable from Charles M. Schulz's beloved characters, shaping the franchise’s sound for generations. With ongoing restoration projects and scheduled releases through 2025, Guaraldi's legacy remains deeply embedded in both jazz and popular culture.<ref name=sfcv/>

Lee Mendelson reflected on Guaraldi's influence, remarking, "Several generations have now grown up with Vince Guaraldi's music. If people hear just one or two bass notes of the intro to 'Linus and Lucy,' they cheer. The ''Peanuts'' programs and Vince's music were such a wonderful marriage. It's a shame it got cut off so soon."<ref name="liner">{{cite web|title=George Winston: ''Love Will Come'' Liner Notes|url=http://www.georgewinston.com/us/liner-notes-love-will-come-music-vince-guaraldi-volume-2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312200446/http://www.georgewinston.com/us/liner-notes-love-will-come-music-vince-guaraldi-volume-2|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-03-12}}</ref>

A book-length biography of Guaraldi, titled ''Vince Guaraldi at the Piano'' by author and Guaraldi archivist Derrick Bang, was originally published in March 2012, with a second edition released in May 2024.<ref name=":0" /> The biography chronicles Guaraldi's career and his contributions to the Northern California jazz scene, and includes a comprehensive discography and filmography, along with an appendix of quotations from Guaraldi's former sidemen.<ref>{{cite news |first=Rebecca |last=Wasik |title=Bang chronicles Vince Guaraldi's career in second edition of book |work=The Davis Enterprise |date=July 6, 2024 |url=https://www.davisenterprise.com/arts_and_entertainment/music/bang-chronicles-vince-guaraldis-career-in-second-edition-of-book/article_c40e4dde-3afd-11ef-992c-4f089755dd2e.html |access-date=September 8, 2024}}</ref>

In the original 1964 liner notes for ''Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown'', Ralph J. Gleason observed that while self-expression is fundamental to art, a greater challenge lies in interpreting and responding to another artist's work while preserving one's own creative identity. He credited Guaraldi with successfully achieving this in his ''Peanuts'' compositions, noting that Guaraldi effectively translated Charles M. Schulz's artistic vision into music that was both empathetic to the imagery and unmistakably his own.<ref name=LinerJIBNCB>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Jazz Impressions of Vince Guaraldi|title-link= |first=Ralph J. |last=Gleason |author-link=  |others=[[Vince Guaraldi]] |date=1964 |page= |type=liner notes |publisher=[[Fantasy Records]] |id= |location=[[San Francisco, California]]}}</ref>

In his review of ''[[The Definitive Vince Guaraldi]]'' (2009), ''[[All About Jazz]]'' critic David Rickert credited Guaraldi with introducing many listeners to jazz, often before they consciously recognized the genre. Rickert highlighted Guaraldi's ''Peanuts'' television soundtracks as an innovative approach to cartoon scoring that seamlessly complemented the sophisticated yet accessible narratives of ''Peanuts''. He further praised Guaraldi’s original compositions as among the finest jazz works to emerge from the West Coast scene, attributing their success to the fusion of artistic inspiration and compositional talent.<ref name="alljazz">{{cite news |first=David |last=Rickert |title=''Vince Guaraldi: The Definitive Vince Guaraldi'' |work=[[All About Jazz]] |date=November 19, 2009 |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-definitive-vince-guaraldi-vince-guaraldi-fantasy-jazz-review-by-david-rickert.php |access-date=June 3, 2018}}</ref>

===Documentary===
The 2010 documentary ''The Anatomy of Vince Guaraldi'' premiered at various jazz and film festivals, showcasing newly discovered and restored footage of Guaraldi’s performances and recording sessions. The film featured new interpretations and commentary from artists including George Winston, [[Dave Brubeck]], [[Dick Gregory]], [[Jon Hendricks]], [[Leonard Maltin]], and [[Paul Krassner]], as well as surviving Guaraldi collaborators Eddie Duran, Dean Reilly, and Jerry Granelli. Co-produced by Toby Gleason (son of Ralph J. Gleason) and filmmaker Andrew Thomas, the documentary received five "Best Documentary" awards and was a featured presentation at the [[Library of Congress]] and the [[Monterey Jazz Festival]]. Reflecting on Guaraldi's influence, Gleason remarked, "Let’s just agree that Vince Guaraldi re-invented the sound of the modern American Christmas."<ref name="alljazzThomas">{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Thomas |title=''Anatomy Of Vince Guaraldi'' Documentary Re-Discovers Long-Lost Jazz Treasures |work=[[All About Jazz]] |date=November 27, 2016 |url=https://news.allaboutjazz.com/anatomy-of-vince-guaraldi-documentary-re-discovers-long-lost-jazz-treasures |access-date=July 7, 2018}}</ref>