Charlie Christian
Charlie Christian | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Charles Henry Christian |
Born | Bonham, Texas, U.S. | July 29, 1916
Died | March 2, 1942 New York City, U.S. | (aged 25)
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Guitar |
Years active | 1930s–1941 |
Charles Henry Christian (July 29, 1916 – March 2, 1942) was an American swing and jazz guitarist. He was among the first electric guitarists and was a key figure in the development of bebop and cool jazz. He gained national exposure as a member of the Benny Goodman Sextet and Orchestra from August 1939 to June 1941. His single-string technique, combined with amplification, helped bring the guitar out of the rhythm section and into the forefront as a solo instrument. For this, he is often credited with leading to the development of the lead guitar role in musical ensembles and bands.
Early life
Christian was born in
He attended Douglass School in Oklahoma City, where he was further encouraged in music by an instructor, Zelia N. Breaux. Charles wanted to play tenor saxophone in the school band, but she insisted he try trumpet instead.[2] As he believed playing the trumpet would disfigure his lip, he quit to pursue his interest in baseball, at which he excelled.[3]
In a 1978 interview with biographer Craig McKinney, Clarence Christian said that in the 1920s and 1930s, Edward Christian led a band in Oklahoma City as a pianist and had a shaky relationship with the trumpeter James Simpson. Around 1931, Simpson instructed guitarist "Bigfoot" Ralph Hamilton to secretly school the younger Charles in jazz. Hamilton taught him to solo on three songs, "Rose Room", "Tea for Two", and "Sweet Georgia Brown". When the time was right, he took Charles to one of the many after-hours jam sessions along "Deep Deuce" in Oklahoma City, where Edward's band was performing, and after some encouragement, Edward allowed Charles to play. Edward was surprised that Charles knew the tunes, which were well received by the club.[4]
Charles soon was performing locally and on the road throughout the Midwest, including states as far away as North Dakota and Minnesota. By 1936 he was playing electric guitar and had become a regional attraction. According to the record producer John Hammond, Christian jammed with many of the big-name performers traveling through Oklahoma City, including Teddy Wilson , Art Tatum, and Mary Lou Williams, the pianist for Andy Kirk and His Clouds of Joy.[5]
Career
National fame
This section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2016) |
In 1939, Christian auditioned for John Hammond, who recommended him to bandleader Benny Goodman, who was only the fourth white bandleader to feature Black musicians in his live band. Goodman had previously heard electric guitarists Leonard Ware and Floyd Smith, among others, and he unsuccessfully tried to buy Smith's contract from bandleader Andy Kirk.[4]
There are multiple accounts of Christian and Goodman's first meeting. The former recalled in a 1940 article in
Goodman's band, including Christian on guitar, played that night at Victor Hugo restaurant in Los Angeles. The bandleader called "Rose Room", a tune he assumed Christian did not know. However, Christian knew the tune and took an unprecedented twenty choruses of improvisation; Goodman hired him as a member of the band as a result. In the course of a few days, Christian went from making $2.50 a night to $150 a week.[7]
Christian joined the newly formed Goodman Sextet in September 1939, which included Lionel Hampton, Fletcher Henderson, Artie Bernstein and Nick Fatool.[8]
Amateur recordings made in September 1939 in
By February 1940, Christian dominated the jazz and swing guitar polls and was elected to the
His work on the Goodman sextet sides "Soft Winds", "Till Tom Special", and "A Smo-o-o-oth One" show his use of few well-placed melodic notes. His work on the Sextet's recordings of the ballads "Stardust", "Memories of You", "Poor Butterfly", "I Surrender Dear" and "On the Alamo" and his work on "Profoundly Blue" with the Edmond Hall Celeste Quartet (1941) show hints of what was later called cool jazz.[10][11] Although credited for very few, Christian composed many of the original tunes recorded by the Benny Goodman Sextet.[12]
Bebop and Minton's Playhouse
Christian was an important contributor to the music that became known as bop, or bebop. Some of the participants in early after-hours affairs at Minton's Playhouse, an after-hours club located in the Hotel Cecil at 210 West 118th Street in Harlem where bebop was born, credit Christian with the name bebop, citing his humming of phrases as the onomatopoetic origin of the term.[13]
Examples of Christian's bebop playing can be heard in a series of recordings made at Minton's Playhouse by Jerry Newman, a student at
Kenny Clarke claimed that "
The Minton's and Uptown House recordings have been packaged under a number of different titles, including After Hours and The Immortal Charlie Christian. On the recordings, Christian can be heard taking multiple choruses on a single tune, playing long stretches of melodic ideas with ease.[19]
Personal life
Charles fathered a daughter, Billie Jean Christian (December 23, 1932 – July 19, 2004) by Margretta Lorraine Downey of Oklahoma City.[4]
In the late 1930s Christian contracted
Christian returned home to Oklahoma City in late July 1940 and returned to New York City in September 1940. In early 1941, Christian resumed his hectic lifestyle, heading to Harlem for late-night jam sessions after finishing gigs with the Goodman Sextet and Orchestra in New York City. In June 1941 he was admitted to Seaview Hospital, a tuberculosis sanatorium on Staten Island in New York City. He was reported to be making progress, and DownBeat magazine reported in February 1942 that he and Cootie Williams were starting a band.[21]
Death
After a visit to the hospital that same month by the tap dancer and drummer Marion Joseph "Taps" Miller, Christian declined in health. He died of tuberculosis on March 2, 1942, at the age of 25. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Bonham, Texas. A Texas State Historical Commission Marker and headstone were placed in Gates Hill Cemetery in 1994. The location of the historical marker and headstone was disputed, and in March 2013, Fannin County, Texas recognized that the marker was in the wrong spot and that Christian is buried under the concrete slab.[22]
Style and influences
Christian is widely regarded as one of the most influential pioneers of
By 1939 there had already been electric guitar soloists—
Christian paved the way for the modern electric guitar sound that was followed by other pioneers, including
Christian's exposure was so great in the brief period he played with Goodman that he influenced not only guitarists but other musicians as well. The influence he had on
Instruments
- Epiphone Deluxe guitar (an acoustic archtop guitar), 1934–1937[29]
- Gibson ES-150 guitar (sunburst finish, with dot inlays on the fingerboard), and EH-150 amplifier, 1937 or 1939 – April 1940[30]
- Gibson ES-250 guitar (custom built by Gibson with a natural finish, a Super 400 tailpiece, and bowtie inlays on the fingerboard), April 1940 – February 1941. This instrument was re-discovered in 2002.[31]
- Gibson ES-250 guitar (custom built by Gibson with a natural finish, an L-7 style neck, and custom inlays on the fingerboard), February 1941 – March 1942
- Charlie Christian pickup" instead of a P-90). This guitar was delivered to Christian just prior to his death in March 1942. It was later owned by Tony Mottola.[32]
The bar-style pickup used on the ES-150 and ES-250 became known as the "Charlie Christian pickup."
Legacy
In 1966, 24 years after his death, Christian was inducted into the
In 1990, Christian was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the category Early Influence. In a 1985 interview with Frets magazine Jerry Garcia named Christian and Django Reinhardt as the two guitarists who most inspired his awe and emulation.
In 2006, Oklahoma City, where Christian was raised, renamed a street in its
Discography
Christian never recorded as a leader. Compilations have been released of his sessions as a sideman in which he is a featured soloist, of practice and warm-up recordings for these sessions, and some lower-quality recordings of Christian's own groups performing in nightclubs, by amateur technicians.[7]
With Benny Goodman
- Charlie Christian with the Benny Goodman Sextet and Orchestra (Columbia, 1955)
- Solo Flight: The Genius of Charlie Christian (Columbia, 1972)
- The Genius of the Electric Guitar, 1939–1941 recordings (Columbia, 1987)
- The Benny Goodman Sextet Featuring Charlie Christian 1939–41 (Columbia, 1989)
- Solo Flight, with the Benny Goodman Sextet (Vintage Jazz Classics, 1991)
- Guitar Wizard (Le Jazz/Charly, 1993)
- Complete Studio Recordings (Definitive, 2000) 4-CD box set
- Complete Live Recordings (Definitive, 2001) 4-CD box set
- Radioland 1939–1941 (Fuel 2000/Varèse Sarabande, 2001)
- The Genius of the Electric Guitar (Columbia/Legacy, 2002) 4-CD box set
- First Master of the Electric Guitar: Selected Broadcasts & Jam Sessions, Remastered (JSP, 2002) 4-CD box set
- Charlie Christian – The Original Guitar Genius (Proper, 2005) 4-CD box set
- The Genius of the Electric Guitar (Definitive, 2005)
- Solo Flight: Live! with the Benny Goodman Sextet (Definitive, 2008)
- On the Air (Fuel 2000/Varèse Sarabande, 2009)
- Yale University Archives, Vol. 5: NBC Broadcast Recordings 1936-1943 (Nimbus, 2010)
- Electric, with the Benny Goodman Sextet and the Charlie Christian Quartet (Uptown, 2011)
With Lionel Hampton
- The Complete Lionel Hampton 1937–1941 (Bluebird, 1976) 6-LP box set
With others
- From Spirituals to Swing – Carnegie Hall Concerts 1938/39 (Vanguard, 1959) 2-LP
Filmography
- 2005 Solo Flight: The Genius of Charlie Christian
- 2007 Charlie Christian- The Life & Music of the Legendary Jazz Guitarist (Grossman Guitar Workshop)
Notes
- ^ Goins, Wayne; McKinney, Craig (2005). A Biography of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing, p. 7.
- ^ a b Lee, Amy (1940). "Charlie Christian Tried to Play Hot Tenor!" Metronome.
- ^ Goins; McKinney (2005). A Biography of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing, pp. 12–15.
- ^ a b c Goins, Wayne; McKinney, Craig (2005). A Biography of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing, pp. 18–20, 137, 399.
- ^ Jasinski, Laurie E. (1976). "Charles Henry Christian Profile". Tshaonline.org. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
- Metronome.
- ^ a b c d Liner notes. Solo Flight: The Genius of Charlie Christian. Columbia G 30779.
- ^ Feather, Leonard: (1960). The Encyclopedia of Jazz. Horizon Press.
- ^ "Charlie Christian - Electric Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ^ a b Centlivre, Kevin (April 16, 2009). ""Revisiting Charlie Christian"". Blogs.myspace.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
- ^ "Jazz". World Book Encyclopedia.
- ^ Albertson, Chris. Liner notes. Columbia G 30779.
- ^ Feather, Leonard (1960). The New Edition of the Encyclopedia of Jazz. Horizon Press: New York.
- ^ a b "Leo Valdes". Home.roadrunner.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
- ^ "Charlie Christian - After Hours Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ^ Fleming, Colin. "Coda: Charlie Christian at Minton's". JazzTimes. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ^ "Stories of Standards — Rhythm-a-Ning". KUVO. November 10, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ^ a b Broadbent, Peter. Charlie Christian, Solo Flight: The Story of the Seminal Electric Guitarist.
- ^ Spring, Howard (1980). The Improvisational Style of Charlie Christian.
- ^ Goins, Wayne; McKinney, Craig. A Biography of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing (2005), p. 344.
- ^ Goins, Wayne; McKinney, Craig. A Biography of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing, p. 327.
- ^ "Burial Info for Charles Christian". TXFannin. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
- ^ Goins, Wayne; McKinney, Craig. A Biography of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing, pp. 369, 373-374.
- ^ Lee, Amy (1940), "Charlie Christian Wanted to Play Hot Tenor!" Metronome.
- ^ a b Feather, Leonard. "Inside Jazz".
- ^ "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee". Rockhall.com. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
- ^ Goins, Wayne; McKinney, Craig. A Biography of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing, pp. 327–328.
- ^ Popoff, Martin (2011). Black Sabbath FAQ. Backbeat Books.
- ^ Broadbent,
Peter, Charlie Christian: Solo Flight, ISBN 1872639569, Ashley Mark, 2003, p.48
- ^ "Charlie's Gear". Gypsy Jazz UK. January 22, 2015.
- ^ "Rare Charlie Christian guitar to be exhibited during Charlie Christian International Music Festival". The Olahoman. June 2, 2010.
- ^ "Finding Charlie Christian's Guitar: Lynn Wheelwright Interview – Jas Obrecht Music Archive". jasobrecht.com.
- ISBN 0-671-40003-7.
- ISBN 0-02-872430-5.
- ^ "Inductees". Oklahoma Jazz Hall Of Fame. Archived from the original on April 28, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
- ^ Chambers, Angela (September 3, 2014). "Jazz icon Charlie Christian's legacy extends beyond OKC". Oklahoma Gazette. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
References
- Broadbent, Peter (2002). Charlie Christian, Solo Flight: The Story of the Seminal Electric Guitarist. Hal Leonard. ISBN 978-1-872639-21-5.
- Centlivre, Kevin (1994). "Interview with Jerry Jerome"
- Centlivre, Kevin (1999). "Revisiting Charlie Christian".
- Feather, Leonard (reprint, 1977). Inside Jazz. Da Capo. ISBN 0-306-80076-4.
- Goins, Wayne E.; McKinney, Craig (2005). A Biography of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing. ISBN 0-88946-426-X.
- Lee, Amy (1940) "Charlie Christian Tried to Play Hot Tenor!"[dead link] Metronome.
- Marshall, Wolf (2002). "The Best of Charlie Christian" signature licks. Hal Leonard. ISBN 0-634-02182-6.
- McKinney, Craig. Charles Christian: Musician.
- Savage, William W., Jr. (1983). Singing Cowboys and All That Jazz: A Short History of Popular Music in Oklahoma. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, pp. 48–51. ISBN 0-8061-1648-X.
- Spring, Howard (1980). The Improvisational Style of Charlie Christian. York University.
- Valdes, Leo (1997). Solo Flight: The Charlie Christian Newsletter Leo Valdes.