Oaxaca is a compilation album by American jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi released by D & D Records (Guaraldi's briefly resurrected label) in 2004. The album is a mix of previously unreleased studio and live recordings taped in 1970 and 1971.[2]

Oaxaca
Compilation album by
ReleasedOctober 19, 2004 (2004-10-19)
Recorded1970–1971
Venue
StudioGolden State Recorders, San Francisco, California
Genre
Length53:05
LabelD & D
ProducerDavid Guaraldi
Michael Graves
Vince Guaraldi chronology
The Charlie Brown Suite & Other Favorites
(2003)
Oaxaca
(2004)
North Beach
(2006)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All About Jazz[1]
Five Cents Please[2]

Background

edit

In the mid-2000s, Vince Guaraldi's son, David Guaraldi, worked with audio archivist Michael Graves at his Atlanta, Georgia-based Osiris Studio, in an effort to restore a wealth of unreleased recorded material from his father's archives.[2] The recordings on Oaxaca come from a variety of sources: some songs were performed live at In Your Ear, a jazz club based in Palo Alto, California; one is performed at The Matrix in San Francisco, with remaining tracks taped at Golden State Recorders in San Francisco.[2]

The release features covers of The Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and The Beatles' "Something" and "You Never Give Me Your Money", both from Abbey Road.

Oaxaca was released on CD only. It did not receive a vinyl release.[2]

Critical reception

edit

All About Jazz critic David Rickert commented that Oaxaca "could be called In A Silent Way, Charlie Brown," adding that Guaraldi is "powered by a rhythm section well versed in providing a driving rock beat. Armed with an arsenal of electronic devices, they turn 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' into a ferocious squall, yet display a gentler touch on 'Something.' It's a testament to Guaraldi's abilities as a musician that all this works as well as it does, and his treatments of these relatively new songs show a skill at interpretation that was never quite apparent in his early days as a pianist dealing with standards." Rickert concluded by saying, "it should come as no surprise that Guaraldi is still capable of crafting amazingly catchy melodies, and the title track is one of his finest."[1]

Derrick Bang, Guaraldi historian and author of Vince Guaraldi at the Piano, described the title track as "a catchy little tune full of sparkle and sass, which sounds like it could have been a Peanuts theme."[2]

Track listing

edit

All tracks are written by Vince Guaraldi, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Charlie Brown Blues" (aka "Play It Again, Charlie Brown"/"Charlie's Blues"[a]) 5:00
2."Oaxaca[a]" 3:10
3."We've Only Just Begun[a]"4:54
4."You Can't Always Get What You Want" (live)16:13
5."Something" (live)George Harrison3:55
6."Center Court" (aka "You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown"[b]) 2:35
7."Watch What Happens" (live, incomplete[c])5:40
8."You Never Give Me Your Money[a]"6:53
9."Oaxaca" (alternate take) 4:46
Total length:53:05

Notes
^[a] recorded at Golden State Recorders, March 31, 1971[3]
^[b] studio version released on Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials; featured in the Peanuts television special You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown (1975)
^[c] from the film The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)

Personnel

edit

Credits adapted from CD liner notes.

Vince Guaraldi Quartet
Additional
  • Derrick Bang – liner notes
  • David Guaraldi – producer
  • Michael Graves – engineer (audio restoration), producer

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Rickert, David (November 18, 2004). "Vince Guaraldi: Oaxaca". allaboutjazz.com. All About Jazz. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Bang, Derrick. "Vince Guaraldi on LP and CD: Oaxaca". fivecentsplease.org. Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire &. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  3. ^ Bang, Derrick. "Vince Guaraldi Timeline: 1971". fivecentsplease.org. Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
edit