Charlie Christian
It can be said without exaggeration that virtually every jazz guitarist that emerged during 1940-65 sounded like a relative of Charlie Christian. The first important electric guitarist, Christian played his instrument with the fluidity, confidence, and swing of a saxophonist. Although technically a swing stylist, his musical vocabulary was studied and emulated by the bop players, and when one listens to players ranging from Tiny Grimes, Barney Kessel, and Herb Ellis, to Wes Montgomery and George Benson, the dominant influence of Christian is obvious.
Charlie Christian's time in the spotlight was terribly brief. He played piano locally in Oklahoma, and began to utilize an amplified guitar in 1937, after becoming a student of Eddie Durham, a jazz guitarist who invented the amplified guitar. John Hammond, the masterful talent scout and producer, heard about Christian (possibly from Mary Lou Williams), was impressed by what he saw, and arranged for the guitarist to travel to Los Angeles in August 1939 and try out with Benny Goodman. Although the clarinetist was initially put off by Christian's primitive wardrobe, as soon as they started jamming on "Rose Room," Christian's talents were obvious. For the next two years, he would be well-featured with Benny Goodman's Sextet; there were two solos (including the showcase "Solo Flight") with the full orchestra; and the guitarist had the opportunity to jam at Minton's Playhouse with such up-and-coming players as Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke, and Dizzy Gillespie. All of the guitarist's recordings (including guest spots and radio broadcasts) are currently available on CD. Tragically, he contracted tuberculosis in 1941, and died at the age of 25 on March 2, 1942. It would be 25 years before jazz guitarists finally moved beyond Charlie Christian.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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The Original Guitar Genius
Jazz - Erschienen bei Proper Box am 24.11.2011
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Charlie Christian Vol. 1 (1939-40)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Documents am 01.09.2009
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Star Dust - Charlie Christian
Jazz - Erschienen bei Editions Audiovisuel Beulah am 08.05.2020
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Charlie Christian Vol. 2 (1940-41)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Documents am 01.09.2009
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Solo Flight (Remastered)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Valuable Records am 18.03.2011
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Early Jazz (Remastered)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Ornithology Rec. am 08.04.2013
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Charlie Christian: The Genius of the Electric Jazz Guitar - Chapter 1
Jazz - Erschienen bei Jazz Essential am 07.04.2017
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Anthology (Remastered)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Steel Music am 02.08.2016
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Immortal Charlie Christian - Guest Artist
Bebop - Erschienen bei Legacy International am 01.01.2006
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Charlie Christian, The First Master Of The Electric Guitar - CD B
Jazz - Erschienen bei JSP Records am 04.07.2006
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Solo Flight: Best Of 1939-41
Jazz - Erschienen bei Acrobat am 22.09.2023
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The Best Of Charlie Christian
Jazz - Erschienen bei Saar srl am 21.05.2001
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With The Benny Goodman Sextet & Orchestra
Jazz - Erschienen bei CoolNote am 01.02.2011
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Charlie Christian
Jazz - Erschienen bei Sotelysa Digital am 03.12.2015
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The Definitive Compilation (Remastered)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Steel Music am 09.10.2015
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Charlie Christian's Till Tom Special [broadcast]
Jazz - Erschienen bei Charly Records am 25.06.2006
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Charlie Christian Memorial Album
Jazz - Erschienen bei Shellac Revival am 20.08.2020
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Solo Flight, Vol. 2
Jazz - Erschienen bei CoolNote am 01.01.2000
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The Genius Of The Electric Guitar
Jazz - Erschienen bei Columbia - Legacy am 01.01.1941
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