George Winston plays Vince Guaraldi's Cast Your Fate to the Wind (2020)

New video of George Winston playing Vince Guaraldi's impressionistic standard and hit composed sometime between the late 1950s and the early 1960s, Cast Your Fate to the Wind. It first appeared on Vince's 1962 album JAZZ IMPRESSIONS OF BLACK ORPHEUS, a collection based on his interpretations of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfa songs from the classic 1959 film. Cast Your Fate to the Wind was originally the B side of the 45 RPM single from the album, with the A-side being Samba De Orpheus (the Luiz Bonfa/Antonio Carlos Jobim main theme from the film BLACK ORPHEUS), but disc jockey Tony Bigg and program director Buck Herring, at radio station KROY in Sacramento, California turned it over and played Cast Your Fate to the Wind instead, and played it every hour, which led to it becoming a national hit. As a testament to Cast Your Fate’s long-standing appeal, dozens of artists have recorded it through the years. Two other notable hit renditions are a 1965 version by the Sounds Orchestral with pianist John Pearson (reaching number 10), and a 1966 version by jazz pianist Jimmy Wisner. Also around this time, popular vocal versions were recorded by Steve Alaimo, Johnny Rivers, and Shelby Flint.

In this composition, Vince used one of his favorite chord progressions, the Latin-based (and universal) I to IV to V chords (here with the Ab Major, Db Major, and Eb Major chords), and he also used it effectively in pieces such as Skating, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Treat Street, and You’re in Love Charlie Brown, Christmas is Coming, and in several other compositions of his. Cast Your Fate is in the key of Ab, one of Vince Guaraldi’s favorite keys, and one he used more often than most other jazz pianists. I was also inspired by Monte Budwig’s bowed bass in the main melody verses of Vince’s original version to sometimes pluck the piano string on the lowest Ab note to get a similar type of sustain. The challenge and personalization Cast Your Fate for each artist who has played it and recorded it is what to do with the improvised section in the middle of the song. It has been played in many different ways by many artists. My middle section arrangement has three parts:
1. the first part is a short impressionistic section;
2. in the second section I play a progression that Vince used in his version of My Little Drum on the album A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS (and Vince recorded another version of it with the title Menino Pequeno da Bateria on his album FROM ALL SIDES);
3. AND in the third section, I play the Brazilian folk tune Viro Mundo Penba, as arranged by the great Brazilian guitarist Bola Sete (1923-1987), on his solo guitar album OCEAN MEMORIES. Vince and Bola first met through jazz trumpet legend Dizzy Gillespie at the 1962 Monterey Jazz Festival. They later collaborated on three albums for the Fantasy label in the mid-1960s, as well as for a program filmed in 1963 for Ralph J. Gleason’s PBS television show, JAZZ CASUAL (now issued on CD and DVD).

At the end of the song here, the piano is muted by damping the strings with the left hand, while playing the keys with the right hand.

[jackycook]

I remember the first time I saw you in concert. My mom took me. I was 8yrs old. I loved every minute of it and, according to my mom, my eyes were as large as saucers the entire concert. When we got home, I got out some $ that I had earned and I wrote you a letter telling you how much I enjoyed your music and to get yourself an ice cream. I still have your Winter into Spring cassette that you sent in response (sadly your letter was lost in a move). That cassette meant and still means the world to me. Fast forward 17yrs and living in Billings. For my 25th birthday my friend got tickets for your concert and then took me backstage to meet you. You were so kind and so generous with your time. It was one of the best bday gifts I have ever received made even more special when you remembered my letter and the ice cream after all that time. I am 46 now, and Ilove your music and still listen to it daily and still say that meeting you will always be one of my most valued memories. You have given so much to so many people. Thank you!

[asphaltcandy]

Being old is a blessing, it's an honor to say I heard this for the first time and have been since I was a child... beautiful playing Grand Sir!

[meteorheartofficial]

The song that decided the fate of Charlie Brown, like a kite in the wind.

[johnnysparkleface]

My grandfather was a musician, my mother once told me he was moved to tears by beautiful music. I'm not a musician, but I get moved to tears too. This song does it for me.

[robintanner]

George Winston certainly made his mark on music and humanity.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻…… He will certainly be missed.

[michaelmartinez]

This is a Beautiful Version of this Iconic Song.. To Mr. George Winston, You definitely did this very Well... Carry On, in Heaven. You will never be forgotten, here on Earth 🌎🌍...

[glallison]

Thank you, George, for your gift of music, in its several forms. You are and will be missed.

[manubande]

What a wonderful music this is ! Thank you George and Vince for your magic 🙏🙏🙏

[allenwiedl]

I saw George twice in concert live. And even though it was very obvious he was suffering from the cancer he was fighting. The artist and professional came out very strong on both nights. Pay on George wherever you are.

[Nithael_]

Godspeed brother, thank you for your music.

[danielyoung]

I always imagine a string of home-bound traffic at dusk threading through the foothills of a freeway pass, their car lights glowing like little strings of pearls and rubies in the falling darkness. I can’t thank you enough for this, it means so much to me…

[Balthazar]

Re-watched/re-listened to this song again. Best pianist to have lived. Miss you Mr. George Winston!

[scjr]

George playing Guaraldi beautifully. I love how he keeps his music alive.

[goscott]

in Los Angeles and believing everything in life would be wonderful as this music!_ 😋

[latefordinnerproductions]

When I die, I hope I go to Heaven, so I can take piano lessons with Vince and George. ❤🧡

[julieharper]

His life is and always will be in his music! Play on dear friend!

[marilynguinnane]

Vince Guaraldi & Bola Sete used to play at the Trident in Sausalito back when Bob Shane of the Kingston Trio owned the Trident. That was before the Trident was RUINED by outsiders who didn't appreciate 'rustic' and sissified the place till it was unrecognizable, which it still is. Anyway, I and 2 other women rented a house in Sausalito that had been Bob Shane's, funny thing. A great and irreplaceable old house, built in Germany, brought around the horn piece by piece reconstructed in Sausalito around 1900. What memories. I'm glad I lived when I did. Beatniks were far more cool than hippies, though I was just a child, literally, in the 50s. I still remember.

[lilacyli]

What wonderful music you are able to play! Truly awesome and OUT OF THIS WORLD!😮

[a_missippian]

opening melody brings me to tears .. every single time

[patriciasullivan]

I've loved this music for decades. It's wonderful to be able to see and hear it! I just wish that I still had all of the CDs, because I've loved this for a really long time! 💖