Jazz Pianist David Benoit Returns To The Carpenter Center For A Christmas Tribute To Charlie Brown

Grammy-nominated jazz pianist David Benoit returns to the Carpenter Center on Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. for a heartwarming celebration of Vince Guaraldi's music from the TV classic "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Benoit's performances of Guaraldi's jazzy and joyful tunes have become a holiday tradition for fans of Guaraldi's music and for lovers of Charles Schulz's "Peanuts." Joining Benoit on stage is Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Sara Gazarek. Gazarek has been called "the next important jazz singer" by the Los Angeles Times, releasing three highly acclaimed albums before she was 30.

The holiday performance also includes the All-American Boys Chorus and-new this year-the Pacific Vision Youth Symphony.

Grammy-nominated pianist, composer and arranger David Benoit has been heralded as one of the founding fathers of contemporary jazz and the "heir to Vince Guaraldi." His relationship with the "Peanuts" franchise spans more than two decades, with performances for "Peanuts" television specials and movies, including "The Peanuts Movie" (2015). "I've always been a 'Peanuts' fan," says Benoit, who credits the TV special "A Charlie Brown Christmas" with inspiring him to become a jazz musician. "I was already a fan of the comic strip," he says, "but when I heard that jazz piano trio, that was the defining moment when I decided that I wanted to play like Vince Guaraldi."

Tickets for "David Benoit - A Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown featuring Sara Gazarek" are $45. For tickets and more information, visit CarpenterArts.org or call the Carpenter Center Ticket Office at (562) 985-7000.