Last year I posted my piano rendition of one of my favorite Christmas pieces, It’s Love –It’s Christmas, written by the great jazz pianist, Bill Evans. You rarely hear it performed in the tsunami
of holiday music that overwhelms airwaves at this time. Another favorite is Vince Guaraldi’s Christmas Time Is Here, much more
frequently performed. No wonder, it was
written for A Charlie Brown Christmas
special in 1965. Although Guaraldi’s
music will always be associated with the Peanuts Christmas specials, he was a
fabulous jazz pianist and composer in his own right, tragically and suddenly dying
at the age of only 47 of a heart attack or aortic aneurysm.
So, in the spirit of a Florida Christmas, I offer my own
piano rendition, nothing like the master Guaraldi’s, but just mine. The lyrics are by Lee Mendelson, the producer
of the Charlie Brown specials, who just happened to hear Guaraldi’s "Cast Your Fate to the Wind"
on the radio and sought him out to compose the music for the 1965 special, and
the rest is history.
Christmas Time Is Here
Christmas time is
here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that
children call
Their favorite time
of the year
Snowflakes in the
air
Carols everywhere
Olden times and
ancient rhymes
Of love and dreams
to share
Sleigh bells in the
air
Beauty everywhere
Yuletide by the
fireside
And joyful memories
there
Christmas time is
here
Families drawing
near
Oh, that we could
always see
Such spirit through
the year
And what would Christmas time be in Florida without the recent
Boat Parade. We had a view from the
starting point at the North Palm Beach Marina, the parade preceded by
fireworks. Having had our most memorable
Christmases in Connecticut, the contrast is, well, striking.
From Christmases past, this 1977 photo, Jonathan, Ann,
me, our beloved Uncle Phil, and Chris…
A Happy and Healthy Holiday to All!
