The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi
The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi is the fifth studio album by Vince Guaraldi released by Fantasy Records in 1964. In a departure from his standard jazz output, Guaraldi combined elements of Brazilian and Caribbean styles of Latin jazz, utilizing a string quartet on several tracks.[1][2]
The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 1964 | |||
Recorded | Mid-1963 | |||
Studio | Coast Recorders, San Francisco, California[1] | |||
Genre | Latin jazz | |||
Length | 31:36 | |||
Label | Fantasy | |||
Vince Guaraldi chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Five Cents Please |
A remastered edition was released on CD in March 1996.
Cover art
Statuesque Gretchen Glanzer and diminutive Guaraldi appear together on the cover. Guaraldi was married at the time but he was carrying on a long-term affair with Glanzer. Born in 1941, she worked at the Hungry i and met Guaraldi around 1960–61 when she was 19. She later worked for the production company Bill Graham Presents. The two appeared again together in 1969 on the back cover of the Grateful Dead album Aoxomoxoa, in a photograph showing 25 people including the band, their families, and their friends. Later she married and took the surname Katamay.[3]
Critical reception
AllMusic critic Richard S. Ginell commented that the album contains "Brazilian and Caribbean strains of Latin jazz, garnished now and then by an outboard string quartet," praising Guaraldi's piano work, saying it is "hauntingly melodic, impulsively swinging, and unmistakable for anyone else's."[1]
Guaraldi historian and biographer Derrick Bang commented that, "Those who believe that jazz bands and string quartets are incompatible are advised to treat this album with suspicion; although it may have seemed like a good idea at the time, Guaraldi's decision to employ a string quartet as background on five of these numbers is dubious at best. The resulting 'E-Z listening sound' only detracts from the otherwise pleasant work." Bang concluced by saying, "All in all, this is pleasant background music, but it lacks Guaraldi's usual jazz chops."[2]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Vince Guaraldi, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Mr. Lucky" | Henry Mancini | 2:53 |
2. | "What Kind of Fool Am I?" | Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley | 4:05 |
3. | "Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)" | Antônio Carlos Jobim | 3:20 |
4. | "Work Song" | Nat Adderley, Oscar Brown, Jr. | 4:12 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Treat Street" | 2:59 | |
2. | "Star Song" | Vince Guaraldi, William Siden | 3:37 |
3. | "Whirlpool" | 3:51 | |
4. | "Dor Que Faz Doer" | Luiz Bonfá | 2:50 |
5. | "Brasilia" | 3:49 | |
Total length: | 31:36 |
Personnel
- The Vince Guaraldi Sextet
- Vince Guaraldi – piano
- Eddie Duran – guitar
- Fred Marshall – bass
- Jerry Granelli – drums
- Bill Fitch – congas
- Benny Velarde – timbales
- Jack Weeks – arranger, string quartet[2]
- Additional
- Ralph J. Gleason – liner notes
External links
- The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi at Discogs (list of releases)
References
- Ginell, Richard S.. The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi at AllMusic. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- Bang, Derrick. "Vince Guaraldi on LP and CD: The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi". fivecentsplease.org. Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- Liberatore, Paul (May 25, 2012). "New biography focuses on Marin's unsung jazzman Guaraldi". Marin Independent Journal.