Jim Hession /Linus and Lucy/ Vince Guaraldi

[markw2190]

love love LOVE the jazz style! freedom of expression, thats what great music is all about. great cover!

[MarquisEstelle]

I'm wondering is if you actually learned the 'correct' version of this or is this just an "impression" of it. Meaning, that you are simply 'glossing' the basic feel of the song. I'm classically trained, and the left hand part was incredibly difficult to learn to time correctly with the right. We respect the original not just psychologically, but by learning to play it correctly before breaking the rules, else we are making excuses for ourselves. I'm wondering where you're at on that?

[jazznbear]

@MarquisEstelle

I always learn the original version first, then interpret it in my own style, I am a classically trained professional jazz pianist who is psychologically oriented to creating new ideas while maintaining total respect for the original.

Have you tried interpreting this piece in your own style? It can be very rewarding!

[MarquisEstelle]

@jazznbear Indeed it can. I heard a version of Stanley Jordan, a genius, doing Mozart's Rondo Alla Turca and I almost threw up as it was so disdainfully insulting to that brilliant little piece. My issue is this, why not just do something different, and call it something different? Perhaps that, from a psychological perspective, would be undesirable as it would make no tacit mention of the original, which itself could be held in suspicion. It IS fun to modulate on familiar pieces.

[sparks991]

Just got done listening to the original . After listening to it, I can't wrap my ears around this one. Would have been absolutely awesome, if not better, in the original key.

[ivoryzebra88]

i have the music to play it in C! so im glad there's someone on here who played it in this key(:

great job! i love it :D

[alantarheel]

awesome rendition!

[weirdguy75]

who care's he played it in C? That was insane!

[Mousler100]

Very nicely done. 

[philburrell]

.....greaat improv.......

[MegaPills1]

its god improve but all the notes were pretty much wrong i mean you didn't even play the notes from the original

[jazznbear]

@MegaPills1 Basically, I respect the original version by composer Vince Guaraldi. My version is a spontaneous interpretation and represents an improvised "moment in time". I also respect the right of players who wish to copy the original, note for note, and those who play strictly from the sheet music.

The artist Louise Bourgeouis said : "No need to repeat because the only version that is relevant is the spontaneous one............."

[5150zombie]

very badass. it's yours.

[bentleysportraits]

love it

[ghettopenguin92]

better in A flat

[LBLProductions]

Im addicted to this Piece right now and your Improv version.... ROCKS!!

I like how it swings to and fro as if toying with the song, patting it about like a cat with a ball of yarn, Bloody Fantastic!

Thank you for showing me a really good version of this Timeless classic.

Elbie

[kolocal0]

i love this song but it was a little too fast

[BlackWerewolf95]

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!

 good grief, wish i could play that!!!

[julie1367]

love the swing, and polyrhythms, but wish it was in orig. key of Aflat.

[tomer20072]

hmmm... i like my songs the way they started. and that dosnt come close to that sween beautiful song from the opening of charlie brown...

but u play a hell of a piano though...

[shubus]

This is great, Jim! Everbody knows and loves this tune and your improv is spot on.

[Bugattifan12]

the left handed part you played at the beginning and throughout, i mean the 3 noted part. You played that wrong notes. It is G# D# G# not whatever you played. I caught a C in there. Wrong note. Im saying its in the wrong key than the original. I loved your improv tho GREAT JOB!!!!

[jazznbear]

Glad you love the improv....wrong notes?

This is my rendition of the tune. In everything that I play I try not to imitate the original note for note. There was only one Vince Guaraldi, and I respect both his talent and his rendition. To me the key doesn't really matter-I happened to play it in both C and Eb that day. Who knows - if I would have extended it I may have ended up in G#. Long live Charlie Brown!

[Bugattifan12]

I absoloutely loved your version way better than the original. I am so envious that you can improv like that. I just meant that it is in a different key than the original and if you were trying to improv on that it was in the wrong key. Again Loved IT!! Good Grief :)

[jazznbear]

LOL!  Good Grief!

[daabest1]

@Bugattifan12 a song is never in wrong key! but can be in a DIFFERENT key

[MicroJaguar]

Actually your wrong...The original key is in A-Flat. Ab-Db-Ab.

[okdenny]

@ MicroJaguar: Actually, you are both wrong.........It is the Key of Ab. But is is Ab-Eb-Ab.

You were a whole step off!!!

You get partial credit for being in the right key, but a whole step?? Come on......Well at least you didn't say it was C# or D#!!!!

Just giving you a hard time:)

Well done rendition of this classic!!!!

[jssoedirgo]

i like this! especially your improv

[eaniccum]

I really enjoyed your improvision. We hear so many people playing this song the same old way. This is such a refreshing take on it.

[mineyhoney]

wowowowowowo!!!!!

u b beastin man!

[wamzlam]

what kind 'o piano r u usin???

[jazznbear]

This is the piano for the Word of Mouth Studio..........it is 6ft. Yamaha Grand "C-3".

[Agent7x7]

You sound like a good piano player and all, but I didn't enjoy this.

The original song is a "happy" song. This didn't produce any emotion from me.

Guess it's just not my "style". :) Carry on.

[Kcmb92]

THIS IS AWESOME. Can you put instructions on how to play it your way. Yours is WAY better!!

[daya575]

Mommy can you hear this?

[philnoll]

wow. That's suprising. Pretty impressive, but the notes are played too hard, the base line doesn't make a few necessary changes, and the familiar chorus doesn't sound in the high register. Nevertheless the most innovative i've seen and quite impressive technically.

[run298]

im better than you

[RyhthmDefined]

this is a sexy improvision

[danalan666]

too funny

[AirForce04Jon]

sounds like a bad nintendo game

[SiouxPianist]

Way kewl chords!

[corvis88]

this is awesome. i wanna get up and dance around :]

[jdreyer65]

this has always been one of my favorites, and as for the improv all I can sat is unfreakin beleivable. I loved it!!!

[FAZOOO]

NICE JOB DUDE!!!

[TDAYADT]

Interesting sped up form of the song. Why all the veryations?

[jazznbear]

Variations and improvisations are the tools of the jazz performer. This interpretation created itself spontaneously in the recording studio. Chances are good that this was a moment in time and the next performance could bring something completely different.

[d40g]

i liked your variation at 1:22 love it wish i could do it

[tomonthekeys]

Cool stuff. I have that in my repetoire. I never thought to expand it in that manner. Thanks

[stormbikes]

Top stuff!