Keyboardist TJ Waltho and a couple other talented jazz musicians started a really cool idea a couple years ago. Waltho, upright bassist Paul Holden and drummer Brad Brouwer decided to screen “A Charlie Brown Christmas” complete with closed captions, and play Vince Guardaldi’s soundtrack live while it’s playing.
They brought the show to Spectrum Ale Works, Dec. 10 for a special Saturday afternoon show.
The trio had a fire burning in a fireplace on screen while they were setting up, and had everyone’s attention from the first few notes of the inimitable Peanuts theme.
The trio grooved to Christmas themed jazz while Charlie Brown decried Christmas capitalism. They added a few bars of popular Christmas carols during a medley including “White Christmas” and ‘Joy to The World’ and paused during some of the more moving speeches in the cartoon.
They had a full house for the show and even expanded it by adding the1992 Peanuts special “It’s Christmastime Again Charlie Brown” after they finished screening “ A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
Thew drew a lot of applause as they wound up by 5 p.m.
The trio bring their show to the Owl Acoustic Lounge Dec. 18 as well as Dec. 23 at the Slice.
— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
