The landmark Christmas TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas” turned 60 this year. A touring “Charlie Brown Christmas Live” production visited several Connecticut theaters in the last six weeks or so, but the show’s magical Vince Guaraldi soundtrack lives on in at least two local concerts this week.
Guaraldi, who died in 1976 at the age of 47, was an established jazz artist before he wrote the “Charlie Brown Christmas” score and had even had records on the mainstream pop charts in the early 1960s. He was hired to score a documentary about Charles Schulz’ “Peanuts” comic strip and while the documentary wasn’t broadcast, Guaraldi’s soundtrack was released as the album “Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown.” One of its tracks was what became a signature tune for both “Peanuts” and Guaraldi, “Linus and Lucy.” Guaraldi was asked to provide a soundtrack for the first “Peanuts” animated special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” and the rest is history.
On Dec. 14 at 1:45 p.m. at Hartford’s historic Isham Terry House, The Andrew Wilcox Trio performs tunes from Guaraldi’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas” score live. A few hours later on the same day at the Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme, the Eric Mintel Quartet will play what they’re calling “Charlie Brown Jazz” at 6 and 8 p.m.
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” also figures in the culminating scene, scripted by Jacques Lamarre, of “Christmas on the Rocks” at TheaterWorks Hartford, which runs through Dec. 23.
Other offbeat holiday events this week include several other jazzy ones from the Sarah Hanahan Jazz Quartet playing at the Jazz Christmas service at Center Church to the “Hartford Unwrapped” local holiday EP listening party at Infinity Music Hall Hartford to the swing-based Caravan of Thieves at Fairfield Theatre Company’s Stage One and the harder swinging Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Mohegan Sun Wolf Den.
You’ll also find Sea Tea Improv‘s lampoon of Hallmark Christmas movies.
A Jazz Christmas
Center Church, 675 Main St., Hartford
The swing and bebop influenced Sarah Hanahan Jazz Quartet performs at the Sunday morning service at Center Church, which is decorated for the holidays. Dec. 14 at 10:30 a.m. Free. centerchurchhartford.org.
Music from ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’
Isham Terry House, 211 High St., Hartford
The Andrew Wilcox Trio performs selections from Vince Guaraldi’s immortal score for “A Charlie Brown Christmas” live at the historic Isham Terry House on Dec. 14 at 1:45 p.m. You can also arrange to take a tour of the house. $25. ctlandmarks.org.
‘Sister’s Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold’
Warner Theatre, 68 Main St., Torrington
The holiday edition of the long-running nonsensical nun “Sister” series, in which Sister involves her catechism class (i.e. the audience) in a nativity drama, plays a matinee performance on Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. in the Nancy Marine Studio space at the Warner Theatre. $68-$79. warnertheatre.org.
Champions of Magic
Foxwoods Resort Casino, 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket
The touring multi-magician act Champions of Magic is at Foxwoods’ Great Cedar Showroom for two shows on Dec. 14 at 3:30 and 7 p.m. $51.90-$168.50. foxwoods.com.
Sarah Hanahan Quartet plays the Jazz Christmas service on Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Hartford’s Center Church. (Courtesy of Center Church)
Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez
Cafe Nine, 250 State St., New Haven
Legendary Connecticut-based R&B/blues singer Christine Ohlman has been holding Christmas concerts around the state for decades and this year is no exception. The Beehive Queen will be “Rockin’ Around the Beehive Christmas Tree,” as this show is titled, Dec. 14 at 4 p.m. $15. cafenine.com.
Eric Mintel Quartet: Charlie Brown Jazz
Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme St., Old Lyme
Pianist Eric Mintel and his quartet play songs associated with “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at one of the state’s great listening rooms. Dec. 14 at 6 and 8 p.m. $27.98. thesidedoorjazz.com.
Bush
Mohegan Sun Arena, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville
The ‘90s British pop band Bush is back touring the U.S., with support by southern U.S. rockers Soul Asylum and L.A. singer/songwriter DeathbyRomy. Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. $61.95-$202.10. mohegansun.com.
J.I.D.
Oakdale Theatre, 95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford
J.I.D., from the revolutionary Atlanta rap scene, is at the Oakdale on his “God Does Like Paradise” tour. Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. $41.25-$64. livenation.com.
Engelbert Humperdinck
Shubert Theatre, 247 College St., New Haven
The ‘60s crooner is still at, revisiting his hits and adding some holiday standards at the Shubert. Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. $48.20-$131.50. shubert.com.
‘Clue’
Palace Theater, 100 East Main St., Waterbury
The nationally touring play based on the 1985 movie based on the board game is at the Waterbury Palace Dec. 16-18 at 7:30 p.m. $63-$105. palacetheaterct.org.
Jane Monheit
Infinity Music Hall, 20 Greenwoods Road West, Norfolk
Jane Monheit began her career as a teen prodigy of a jazz vocalist who had a special way with standards that were a generation older than her. Now she’s a seasoned veteran of the jazz world and the songs turn out to be timeless. Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. $58.25-$82.99. infinityhall.com.
Old Crow Medicine Show’s Holiday Hootenanny
Garde Arts Center, 325 State St., New London
The celebrated folk ensemble Old Crow Medicine Show has set up a “holiday hootenanny” to tour this month, with fiddler Bronwyn Keith-Hynes as a special guest. Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. $49-$247. gardearts.org.
Streetlight Manifesto
Toad’s Place, 300 York St., New Haven
Nothing brings people together over the holidays like a ska/punk show. Streetlight Manifesto, the New Jersey band that formed in 2003 and released records through the punk label Victory, is at Toad’s Place on Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. with Dead Bars. $51, $62.25 early entrance. toadsplace.com.
Public Works
The Webster, 31 Webster St., Hartford
The intense, mysterious midwestern indie emo artist Public Works is on tour. He screams about his problems and his isolation yet the tour is called “Fun with My Friends,” and Wichita rapper Damien Styles is opening. Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. $24.14-$39.15. thewebsterct.com.
Improvised Hallmark Christmas and Lifetime Movies
Sea Tea Improv, 15 Asylum St., Hartford
Those creative minds at Sea Tea Improv mock and mimic those cookie-cutter Christmas movies on the Hallmark and Lifetime channels. When they ask for suggestions about locations, don’t yell “Connecticut!” Too many of those stories take place here already. Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. $10. seateaimprov.com.
The Old Crow Medicine Show holds a “Holiday Hootenanny” on Dec. 18 at the Garde Arts Center in New London. (Brooke Stevens)
‘Ireland with Michael’: A Celtic Christmas
Shubert Theatre, 247 College St., New Haven
Michael Londra, from the PBS series “Ireland with Michael” and from touring companies of “Riverdance,” brings his Irish holiday show to the Shubert. Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. $66-$95.80. shubert.com.
Hartford Unwrapped
Infinity Music Hall, 32 Front St., Hartford
The live party celebrating the release of the local band holiday EP produced by the city of Hartford happens on Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. at Infinity Music Hall Hartford. It’s part listening party, part live show. $10.21. infinityhall.com.
Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus
Downtown Cabaret, 263 Golden Hill St., Bridgeport
The final show of the funny, harmony-filled and joyous Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus’ 2025 holiday show, “Gays in Space: A Holiday Adventure” is Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Downtown Cabaret. $48.50-$54.50. ctgmc.org.
Jon B.
The Webster, 31 Webster St., Hartford
The Providence-rooted R&B singer who gave us “Pretty Girl” and “Someone to Love” plays The Webster on Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. $39.15; $809.15 for 15-person VIP suite. thewebsterct.com.
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Mohegan Sun, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville
The fashionably dressed frenetic swing/jazz outfit Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has been doing snappy holiday concerts at Mohegan Sun for decades. Dec. 19 and 20 at 8 p.m. at the casino’s Wolf Den. Free. mohegansun.com.
Connecticut Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’
The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford
Two Hartford cultural institutions band together for this year’s presentation of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” ballet at The Bushnell. The Connecticut Ballet production, overseen by the company’s artistic director Bret Raphael, is accompanied live by the Hartford Symphony Orchestra in The Bushnell’s Belding Theater. Dec. 20 at 2 and 6 p.m and Dec. 21 at 1 and 5 p.m. $92.50-$132. bushnell.org.
India
Palace Theater, 100 East Main St., Waterbury
“The Princess of Salsa,” India, plays the Waterbury Palace with Puerto Rican singer/songwriter Luis Figueroa opening. Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. $59.50-$169.50. palacetheaterct.org.
Chris Young
Oakdale Theatre, 95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford
Country singer Chris Young, who won season four of “Nashville Star” nearly 20 years ago and whose many hits include “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song),” performs an acoustic holiday concert called “It Must Be Christmas” on Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. $41.25-$194.40. livenation.com.
Greater Bridgeport Symphony: ‘Holiday Quintessence’
Klein Memorial Auditorium, 2385 Park St., Bridgeport
The Greater Bridgeport Symphony holds a timely concert that embraces winter (namely the “Winter” section of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”), Christmas (with familiar melodies from Tchaikovsky, Bizet and Handel), carols, a Hanukkah-themed “Winter miracles” mix of folk songs and Vivaldi and sing-alongs led by guest vocalists. Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. $21-$72. gbs.org.
Javier Colon
Infinity Music Hall, 32 Front St., Hartford
Hartford’s own “The Voice” winner, Javier Colon has been doing holiday shows at Infinity Music Hall Hartford for years. Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. $41.24-$69.38. infinityhall.com.
Eric Gales
Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook
Blues guitarist Eric Gales plumbs his own personal experiences and struggles on his album “Crown.” He plays The Kate on Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. $55. thekate.org.
Caravan of Thieves
Stage One, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield
The swing jazz (in the Django Reinhart sense) band Caravan of Thieves has been a Connecticut local band gem for years. The music can be moody yet also festive, as this “annual holiday hullabaloo” demonstrates. Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. $46. fairfieldtheatre.org.