North Beach (album) explained

North Beach is a compilation album by American jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi (credited to Vince Guaraldi and Friends) released by D & D Records (Guaraldi's label) in January 2006. The album is a mix of previously unreleased studio and live recordings taped in mid-1970s.^[1]

Background

In the mid-2000s, Vince Guaraldi's son, David Guaraldi, worked to restore a wealth of unreleased live recorded material from his father's archives.^[1] The recordings on North Beach were taped in a variety of studios and jazz clubs based in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California.^[1]

The release features covers of Elton John's "Your Song" and Ervin Drake's "It Was a Very Good Year".

North Beach was released on CD only. It did not receive a vinyl release.^[1]

Track listing

"Cast Your Fate to the Wind", "Linus and Lucy" and "Cabaret" were re-released on Live on the Air (2008).^{[1] [2]}

Session information

"Cast Your Fate to the Wind" (live)

• Written by Vince Guaraldi
• Piano, Fender Rhodes: Vince Guaraldi
• Electric bass: Seward McCain
• Drums: Eliot Zigmund
• Recorded on February 6, 1974, Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco, California; live broadcast on radio stations KPFA and KPFB

"Autumn Leaves"

• Written by Joseph Kosma
• Piano: Vince Guaraldi
• Double bass

Ron McClure

• Drums: Mike Clark
• Recorded on October 8, 1973^[3]

"Your Song"

• Written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin
• Piano, Fender Rhodes, ARP String Ensemble: Vince Guaraldi
• Recorded on November 20, 1975, Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco, California; sidemen unspecified

"Lucifer's Lady" (live)

• Written by Vince Guaraldi
• Piano: Vince Guaraldi
• Session information unknown

"It Was a Very Good Year" (live)

• Written by Ervin Drake
• Piano: Vince Guaraldi
• Session information unknown

"Linus and Lucy" (live)

• Written by Vince Guaraldi
• Piano: Vince Guaraldi
• Electric bass: Seward McCain
• Drums: Eliot Zigmund
• Recorded on February 6, 1974, Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco, California; live broadcast on radio stations KPFA and KPFB

"Cabaret" (live)

• Written by Fred Ebb and John Kander
• Piano, Fender Rhodes: Vince Guaraldi
• Electric bass: Seward McCain
• Drums: Eliot Zigmund
• Recorded on February 6, 1974, Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco, California; live broadcast on radio stations KPFA and KPFB

"The Masked Marvel"

• Written by Vince Guaraldi
• Piano: Vince Guaraldi
• Guitar: Eddie Duran
• Bass: Kelly Bryan
• Drums: Al Coster
• Recorded in mid-to-late October 1969

"Cast Your Fate to the Wind" (live)

• Written by Vince Guaraldi
• Piano, Fender Rhodes: Vince Guaraldi
• Session information unavailable; most likely recorded January 1976^[1]

Personnel

• David Guaraldi – producer, liner notes
• Michael Graves – engineer (audio restoration)
• Russell Bond – mastering

Notes and References

1. Web site: Vince Guaraldi on LP and CD: North Beach . Bang . Derrick . fivecentsplease.org . Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire . 5 May 2020 .
2. Book: Bang, Derrick . Vince Guaraldi at the Piano . 2012 . McFarland . Jefferson, North Carolina (U.S.) . 978-0-7864-5902-5 . 291 . 6 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085911/http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-5902-5 . April 6, 2012 . dead . mdy-all.
3. Web site: Vince Guaraldi Timeline: 1973 . Bang . Derrick . fivecentsplease.org . Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire . 1 September 2020 .