“Christmas Time Is Here” was composed by Vince Guaraldi with lyrics by Lee Mendelson for the 1965 TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas. The soundtrack is one of the best-selling jazz albums ever, and this gentle, melancholy waltz is its emotional center. It’s a holiday favorite for jazz trios, school bands and church musicians.
The tune is a jazz waltz in 3/4, often played in F major. The harmony floats between major seventh chords that move in unexpected directions, such as Fmaj7 shifting to a chord a half step or whole step away, which gives the tune its dreamy, slightly sad quality. The form repeats a few long phrases with a bridge that moves through more distant chords before returning home.
For improvisation, focus on color. Over each major seventh chord, use its Lydian mode (the major scale with a raised fourth), which matches the soft, open sound. Pay attention to how each chord moves to the next and look for common tones you can hold across the changes. Guaraldi’s own playing is simple and lyrical, so keep your phrases singable and leave plenty of space.
Practice the waltz feel slowly with a metronome on beat one. Pianists should learn Guaraldi’s voicings, which use open fifths and close clusters. Horn and guitar players should practice the melody with a soft, warm tone. Try the tune as a slow ballad and as a gently swinging waltz.
Common mistake: playing it too loudly. The magic is in its quiet, reflective mood.
Gig tip: this tune works beautifully as a quiet opener or closer for a holiday set. Many trios play it once as a ballad and then a second time with a light swing waltz feel.
Recordings to study: the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s original soundtrack recording, both the vocal and instrumental versions. Learn more about the composer on Vince Guaraldi’s Wikipedia page, and find more holiday jazz lead sheets on Minedit.