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Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) is thrilled to announce the release - for the first time ever - from recently rediscovered tapes - the complete Vince Guaraldi soundtrack to "It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown," the timeless 6th animated Peanuts® special, from writer and creator Charles Schulz, director Bill Melendez and producers Melendez and Lee Mendelson. Originally the special aired in September 27, 1969 on CBS-TV.

The album includes the original recordings that comprise the cues from the Special across twenty-six tracks, plus another 6 alternative tracks that have never been released or heard before.

Guaraldi lovingly created the soundtrack for the summer camp adventure where Charlie Brown and his gang face off against the girls camp lead by Peppermint Patty. The large jazz combo album also includes the best rendition of Guaraldi classic, "Love Will Come (Nova Bossa)" as well as the first use of additional percussion in Victor Feldman.

The recording features Guaraldi (piano), Monty Budwig (double bass), Jack Sperling (drums), Conti and Pete Candoli (trumpet), Frank Rosolino (trombone), Victor Feldman (percussion), Herb Ellis (guitar), Willian Hood and Peter Christlieb (woodwind), and John Scott Trotter as the orchestra leader. The soundtrack was produced by Sean and Jason Mendelson and restored and re-mastered by Vinson Hudson.

The album will be available on CD, vinyl and digital. The CD has an 8-page insert. Both the CD and LP will have liner notes that give a track-by-track analysis by Derrick Bang (author of "Vince Guaraldi at the Piano") and notes from Sean and Jason Mendelson, sons of Peanuts® producer Lee Mendelson. The album packaging also includes images from the special and images of historical documents from the found tapes.

Track Listing

Sales Points

• Released to coincide with the 55th anniversary of the Peanuts special also available for subscribers on Apple TV+
• Additional notes by Jason and Sean Mendelson, sons of Peanuts producer Lee Mendelson
• First use of additional percussionist, Victor Feldman
• 6 additional alternate versions of cues never heard since their recording in 1969: 'Linus and Lucy,' 'Bus Blues,' 'Pebble Beach,' 'Masked Marvel,' 'Linus and Lucy (Reprise)' and Guarlaldi working on 'It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown'
• Liner notes by Derrick Bang, author of 'Vince Guaraldi at the Piano' and the writer of liner notes for the Deluxe 2022: 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' soundtrack album; and the 2022: 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' soundtrack album
• The most beautiful recording of 'Love Will Come'
• Music to be released in highest fidelity available including on a 45 LP
• Songs have never been released apart from their mix in the special before now
• The music from the last Peanuts Special of the Sixties
• Swingiest versions of classics like 'Charlie Brown Theme' and 'Oh, Good Grief!'
• For fans of 'A Charlie Brown Christmas,' 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' and 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' music
• Restored/Remastered and transferred from the rediscovered original tapes to a high resolution 192kHz/24bit master
• Peanuts Maestro Vince Guaraldi's Complete original soundtrack from the 6th animated Peanuts Special

Press Quotes

'This entire score is can't-be-played-often-enough ear candy. It's as fresh and vibrant today -- and as swinging -- as when it was laid down 55 years ago: yet another captivating display of Guaraldi's compositional genius and keyboard wizardry. Summer never sounded so sweet.' - From the liner notes by Derrick Bang, Author, 'Vince Guaraldi at the Piano'

     —Derrick Bang, Liner notes

The soundtrack to It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown proves another great addition to this year’s field of new soundtracks and hopefully not the last Peanuts soundtrack to come from Lee Mendelson Film Productions.

     —Philip Sayblack, Phil's Picks

This limited-edition vinyl [and CD] marks the first time the music of intrepid Peanuts jazz composer Vince Guaraldi from the 1969 CBS program has been made commercially available, comprised of 26 short cues from the show itself along with six other previously unheard alternate tracks from the pianist and his large jazz ensemble.

     —Billboard Magazine, Ron Hart

Happiness is not just a warm puppy — it’s also the music from It Was a Short, Summer, Charlie Brown, from the rolling title tune to the Latin boogie-woogie 'Linus and Lucy.'

     —Chris Pearson, The Times UK

The sound is pristine and, like the Peanuts movies, fun, witty, and made for end-to-end listening.

     —Jim Hynes, Glide

This soundtrack to the 1969 special finds Guaraldi fronting a large combo with brass as well as guitar played by Texas legend Herb Ellis.  

     —Andrew Dandsbury, Houston Chronicle

The most fascinating aspect of it is that, while Guaraldi is backed by his usual bassist Monty Budwig as well as drummer Jack Sperling, this time around he’s backed by a larger jazz orchestra led by John Scott Trotter. 

     —George Harris, Jazz Weekly