Kansas City Jazz Orchestra offers soulful renditions of A Charlie Brown Christmas at the Kauffman Center
Courtesy of Kansas City Jazz Orchestra
Charlie Brown holiday television specials have been a favorite among generations, ushering them into the holiday season year after year. On Dec. 5, the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra (KCJO) invited fans to join them for an evening filled with nostalgia and soulful twists on Vince Guaraldi’s timeless compositions in A Charlie Brown Christmas as a part of their 2023-2024 Conversations series.
Under the direction of conductor Clint Ashlock, KCJO kicked off the evening with Anderson .Paak’s rendition of “Linus and Lucy,” giving the audience a taste of a more contemporary take on the traditional version.
In a medley inspired by Charlie Brown’s iconic catch phrase “Good grief!” KCJO performed songs from Guaraldi Trios 1964 album, Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown including “Frieda,” “Oh Good Grief,” and the famous “Charlie Brown Theme.”
Throughout the first half of the show, KCJO performed songs from It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving adding their own flare to each song.
Some of the highlights included a seamless transition from “Graveyard Theme” to “The Great Pumpkin Waltz.” which Ashlock couldn’t help but nerd out over, a dynamic performance by Rod Fleeman on guitar in “Woodstock’s Dream,” and a contemporary arrangement of “Little Birdie,” letting the horns section shine.
Special guest artist Lee Langston joined in the fun, in a performance of “The Christmas Song” with vocals (and a glittery emerald, green blazer) that nodded to Luther Vandross. Shortly after, he did a quick 30 second outfit change, reappearing in a Charlie Brown inspired blazer that was more befitting for the evening.
The second half of the performance consisted of music from the timeless holiday special, A Charlie Brown Christmas. Langston rejoined the orchestra for memorable classics including “Christmas Time is Here,” “O Tannenbaum,” and “What Child Is This.” accompanied by visuals and readings from the show to evoke even more nostalgia. Voice actors Alex Khundadze, Saraya McClure, and Paul Snodgrass did a stellar job bringing Linus, Lucy, and Charlie Brown’s characters to life.
As promised by Ashlock earlier in the show, KCJO performed the traditional version of “Linus and Lucy” as the evening drew to a close, followed by raving applause from the audience.
The evening ended on a feel-good note as Langston delivered a Motown inspired performance of Stevie Wonder’s “That’s What Christmas Means to Me.”
Ashlock hopes that this will become an annual tradition here in Kansas City. In the meantime, you can check out KCJO’s upcoming events here.
