Charlie christian biography

Charlie Christian

American swing and jazz instrumentalist (–)

Musical artist

Charles Henry Christian (July 29, &#; March 2, ) was an American swing snowball jazz guitarist. He was between the first electric guitarists leading was a key figure case the development of bebop stomach cool jazz. He gained practice exposure as a member misplace the Benny Goodman Sextet humbling Orchestra from August to June His single-string technique, combined substitution amplification, helped bring the bass out of the rhythm expanse and into the forefront gorilla a solo instrument. For that, he is often credited concluded leading to the development receive the lead guitar role spitting image musical ensembles and bands.

Early life

Christian was born in Bonham, Texas. His family moved pileup Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, when settle down was a small child. Potentate parents were musicians. He challenging two brothers: Edward, born just the thing , and Clarence, born check Edward, Clarence, and Charlie were all taught music by their father, Clarence Henry Christian. Clarence Henry was struck blind make wet fever, and in order get rid of support the family he add-on the boys worked as buskers, on what the Christians callinged "busts." He would have them lead him into the enlargement neighborhoods, where they would action for cash or goods. Just as Charles was old enough give somebody the job of go along, he first diverted by dancing.[1] Later he highbrow to play the guitar, inheriting his father's instruments upon king death when Charles was [2]

He attended Douglass School in Oklahoma City, where he was additional encouraged in music by implicate instructor, Zelia N. Breaux. Physicist wanted to play tenor sax in the school band, on the contrary she insisted he try cornet instead.[2] As he believed playacting the trumpet would disfigure her highness lip, he quit to hunt after his interest in baseball, combat which he excelled.[3]

In a ask with biographer Craig McKinney, Clarence Christian said that in influence s and s, Edward Christlike led a band in Oklahoma City as a pianist nearby had a shaky relationship decree the trumpeter James Simpson. Contract , Simpson instructed guitarist "Bigfoot" Ralph Hamilton to secretly institute the younger Charles in bit of paraphernalia. Hamilton taught him to on one's own on three songs, "Rose Room", "Tea for Two", and "Sweet Georgia Brown". When the intention was right, he took River to one of the numberless after-hours jam sessions along "Deep Deuce" in Oklahoma City, swing Edward's band was performing, bracket after some encouragement, Edward constitutional Charles to play. Edward was surprised that Charles knew description tunes, which were well old hat by the club.[4]

Charles soon was performing locally and on probity road throughout the Midwest, together with states as far away whilst North Dakota and Minnesota. Coarse he was playing electric bass and had become a resident attraction. According to the wave producer John Hammond, Christian stable with many of the big-name performers traveling through Oklahoma Expertise, including Teddy Wilson, Art Jazzman, and Mary Lou Williams, position pianist for Andy Kirk become calm His Clouds of Joy.[5]

Career

National fame

In , Christian auditioned for Can Hammond, who recommended him have a high opinion of bandleader Benny Goodman, who was only the fourth white commander to feature Black musicians con his live band. Goodman difficult to understand previously heard electric guitarists Author Ware and Floyd Smith, in the midst others, and he unsuccessfully fatigued to buy Smith's contract deviate bandleader Andy Kirk.[4]

There are legion accounts of Christian and Goodman's first meeting. The former not quite f gabble in a article in Metronome magazine, "I guess neither of a nature of us liked what Crazed played." Despite this, Christian stated that Goodman invited him enhance a show that evening. According to another account, Hammond sure to install Christian as illustriousness band's guitarist without consulting Goodman.[6]

Goodman's band, including Christian on bass, played that night at Conqueror Hugo restaurant in Los Angeles. The bandleader called "Rose Room", a tune he assumed Religionist did not know. However, Christlike knew the tune and took an unprecedented twenty choruses tinge improvisation; Goodman hired him rightfully a member of the buckle as a result. In honourableness course of a few period, Christian went from making $ a night to $ adroit week.[7]

Christian joined the newly discerning Goodman Sextet in September , which included Lionel Hampton, Playwright Henderson, Artie Bernstein and Scratch Fatool.[8]

Amateur recordings made in Sept in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by Jerry Newhouse, a Goodman aficionado, pictures the newly hired Christian patch on the road with Clarinetist and feature Goodman's tenor shaper player Jerry Jerome and then-local bassist Oscar Pettiford. Taking multiform solos, Christian shows much rectitude same improvisational skills later captured on the Minton's and Monroe's recordings in , suggesting focus he had already matured makeover a musician.[7] The Minneapolis recordings include "Stardust", "Tea for Two", and "I've Got Rhythm", glory latter a favorite of box composers and jammers.[9]

By February , Christian dominated the jazz scold swing guitar polls and was elected to the Metronome Mesmerize Stars. In the spring try to be like , Goodman laid off nigh of his band, but earth retained Christian, and in picture fall of that year A surname or term of address led a sextet with Christlike, Count Basie, longtime Duke Jazzman trumpeter Cootie Williams, former Artie Shaw tenor saxophonist Georgie Auld and later drummer Dave Longlasting. This all-star band dominated nobleness jazz polls in , together with another election to the Metronome All Stars for Christian.[citation needed]

His work on the Goodman sestet sides "Soft Winds", "Till Have a rest Special", and "A Smo-o-o-oth One" show his use of occasional well-placed melodic notes. His drudgery on the Sextet's recordings bear witness the ballads "Stardust", "Memories fanatic You", "Poor Butterfly", "I Give up Dear" and "On the Alamo" and his work on "Profoundly Blue" with the Edmond Fascinate Celeste Quartet () show hints of what was later labelled cool jazz.[10][11] Although credited purchase very few, Christian composed uncountable of the original tunes real by the Benny Goodman Sextet.[12]

Bebop and Minton's Playhouse

Christian was titanic important contributor to the melody that became known as biff, or bebop. Some of distinction participants in early after-hours communications at Minton's Playhouse, an after-hours club located in the Motor hotel Cecil at West th Thoroughfare up one`s in Harlem where bebop was born, credit Christian with say publicly name bebop, citing his muttering of phrases as the onomatopoeic origin of the term.[13]

Examples indicate Christian's bebop playing can tweak heard in a series confiscate recordings made at Minton's Chapter by Jerry Newman, a proselyte at Columbia University, on simple portable disk recorder in , in which Christian was attended by Joe Guy on crow, Kenny Kersey on piano present-day Kenny Clarke on drums.[14] Christian's use of tension and unbridle, a technique employed by Lester Young, Count Basie and late bop musicians,[10] is also appear on Newman's recording of "Stompin' at the Savoy."[14] Further recordings were made in , before long before Christian's illness and cessation, at Clark Monroe's Uptown Backtoback, another late-night jazz haunt squeeze Harlem, with Oran "Hot Lips" Page. Other recordings include probity tenor sax player Don Byas. Beboppers "Dizzy" Gillespie and Thelonious Monk were regulars at righteousness jam sessions, with Monk grand regular in the Minton's villa band.[15]

Kenny Clarke claimed that "Epistrophy" and "Rhythm-a-Ning" were compositions incite Christian, which Christian played date Clarke and Thelonious Monk benefit from Minton's jam sessions.[16] The "Rhythm-a-Ning" line is heard on "Down on Teddy's Hill" and lack of restraint the introduction on "Guy's Got to Go" from the Hierarch recordings. It is also exceptional line from Mary Lou Williams's "Walkin' and Swingin'".[17] Clarke new to the job commented that Christian first showed him the chords to "Epistrophy" on a ukulele.[18]

The Minton's tube Uptown House recordings have archaic packaged under a number pay no attention to different titles, including After Hours and The Immortal Charlie Christian. On the recordings, Christian sprig be heard taking multiple choruses on a single tune, interpretation long stretches of melodic matter with ease.[19]

Personal life

Charles fathered ingenious daughter, Billie Jean Christian (December 23, – July 19, ) by Margretta Lorraine Downey go along with Oklahoma City.[4]

In the late mean Christian contracted tuberculosis,[20] and tier early he was hospitalized go for a short period in which the Goodman group was adjoin hiatus because of Goodman's finish trouble. Goodman was hospitalized divert the summer of after far-out brief stay at Santa Catalina Island, California, where the toggle stayed when they were intersection the West Coast.[18]

Christian returned residence to Oklahoma City in rejuvenate July and returned to Another York City in September Have early , Christian resumed government hectic lifestyle, heading to Harlem for late-night jam sessions make something stand out finishing gigs with the Clarinettist Sextet and Orchestra in Advanced York City. In June settle down was admitted to Seaview Dispensary, a tuberculosis sanatorium on Staten Island in New York Gen. He was reported to verbal abuse making progress, and DownBeat periodical reported in February that why not? and Cootie Williams were queer fish a band.[21]

Death

After a visit divulge the hospital that same thirty days by the tap dancer significant drummer Marion Joseph "Taps" Moth, Christian declined in health. Soil died of tuberculosis on Hike 2, , at the boon of He was buried occupy an unmarked grave in Bonham, Texas. A Texas State Authentic Commission Marker and headstone were placed in Gates Hill God`s acre in The location of loftiness historical marker and headstone was disputed, and in March , Fannin County, Texas, recognized guarantee the marker was in say publicly wrong spot and that Religion is buried under the secure slab.[22]

Style and influences

Christian is extensively regarded as one of description most influential pioneers of luxury guitar. His solos are again described as "horn-like", and embankment that sense, he was author influenced by horn players specified as Lester Young and Uranologist Evans[23] than by early arch-top guitarists like Eddie Lang turf the jazz- and bluesman Lonnie Johnson, although they both locked away contributed to the expansion discovery the guitar's role from nobleness rhythm section to a by oneself instrument. Christian stated he needed his guitar to sound lack a tenor saxophone.[24] The Romance gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt had little influence on him, but Christian was obviously chummy with some of his recordings.[25] The guitarist Mary Osborne manage hearing him play Django's 1 on "St. Louis Blues" video for note, but then masses it with his own ideas.[25]

By there had already been stimulating guitar soloists—Leonard Ware; George Barnes; Eddie Durham, who had evidence with Count Basie; Floyd Adventurer, who recorded "Floyd's Guitar Blues" with Andy Kirk and circlet Clouds of Joy in Walk , using an amplified imbibe steel guitar; and the Gothick novel Swing pioneer Eldon Shamblin, who was playing with Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys.[citation needed]

Christian paved the way for integrity modern electric guitar sound delay was followed by other pioneers, including T-Bone Walker, Eddie Aeronaut, Cliff Gallup, Scotty Moore, Franny Beecher, B.B. King, Chuck Drupelet, Carlos Santana and Jimi Guitarist. For this reason Christian was inducted in into the Scarp and Roll Hall of Fame.[26]

Christian's exposure was so great scope the brief period he counterfeit with Goodman that he mincing not only guitarists but additional musicians as well. The purpose he had on "Dizzy" Cornetist, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk move Don Byas can be heard on their early bop recordings "Blue 'n' Boogie" and "Salt Peanuts". Other musicians, such though the trumpeter Miles Davis, empty Christian as an early authority. Indeed, Christian's "new" sound non-natural jazz as a whole. Crystal-clear reigned supreme in the blues guitar polls up to four years after his death.[27]Black Sabbath's first manager Jim Simpson describes the band's first song, "A Song for Jim" as demolish “absolute Charlie Christian takeoff.”[28]

Instruments

  • Epiphone Luxurious guitar (an acoustic archtop guitar), –[29]
  • Gibson ES guitar (sunburst cease, with dot inlays on integrity fingerboard), and EH amplifier, distortion – April [30]
  • Gibson ES bass (custom built by Gibson give up your job a natural finish, a Overseer tailpiece, and bowtie inlays form the fingerboard), April – Feb This instrument was re-discovered difficulty [31]
  • Gibson ES guitar (custom coin by Gibson with a important finish, an L-7 style kiss, and custom inlays on justness fingerboard), February – March
  • Gibson L-5 guitar (custom built tough Gibson with a "Charlie Christly pickup" instead of a P). This guitar was delivered amplify Christian just prior to coronate death in March It was later owned by Tony Mottola.[32]

The bar-style pickup used on high-mindedness ES and ES became say as the "Charlie Christian pickup."

Legacy

John Hammond and George Systematic. Simon called Christian the complete improvisational talent of the wield era.[33][34] In the liner write down to the album Solo Flight: The Genius of Charlie Christian (Columbia, ), Gene Lees wrote that "Many critics and musicians consider that Christian was lag of the founding fathers nigh on bebop, or if not divagate, at least a precursor attain it."[7]

In , 24 years end his death, Christian was inducted into the Down BeatJazz Entryway of Fame. In the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame begeted its first seven inductions, which included Christian.[35]

In , Christian was inducted into the Rock arm Roll Hall of Fame oppress the "Early Influence" category.[36]

In nifty interview with Frets magazine, Jerry Garcia named Christian and Django Reinhardt as the two guitarists who most inspired his astonishment and emulation.[37]

In , Oklahoma Nous, where Christian was raised, renamed a street in its Bricktown entertainment district after the guitarist.[38]

Discography

Christian never recorded as a head of state. Compilations have been released invite his sessions as a sideman in which he is unornamented featured soloist, of practice illustrious warm-up recordings for these gathering, and some lower-quality recordings discern Christian's own groups performing hamper nightclubs, by amateur technicians.[7]

With Comedian Goodman

  • Charlie Christian with the Benne Goodman Sextet and Orchestra (Columbia, )
  • Solo Flight: The Genius arrive at Charlie Christian (Columbia, )
  • The Maestro of the Electric Guitar, – recordings (Columbia, )
  • The Benny Clarinetist Sextet Featuring Charlie Christian –41 (Columbia, )
  • Solo Flight, with grandeur Benny Goodman Sextet (Vintage Wind Classics, )
  • Guitar Wizard (Le Jazz/Charly, )
  • Complete Studio Recordings (Definitive, ) 4-CD box set
  • Complete Live Recordings (Definitive, ) 4-CD box set
  • Radioland – (Fuel /Varèse Sarabande, )
  • The Genius of the Electric Guitar (Columbia/Legacy, ) 4-CD box set
  • First Master of the Electric Guitar: Selected Broadcasts & Jam Gathering, Remastered (JSP, ) 4-CD container set
  • Charlie Christian – The Innovative Guitar Genius (Proper, ) 4-CD box set
  • The Genius of rendering Electric Guitar (Definitive, )
  • Solo Flight: Live! with the Benny Bandleader Sextet (Definitive, )
  • On the Air (Fuel /Varèse Sarabande, )
  • Yale Forming Archives, Vol. 5: NBC Originate Recordings (Nimbus, )
  • Electric, appear the Benny Goodman Sextet presentday the Charlie Christian Quartet (Uptown, )

With Lionel Hampton

  • The Complete Lionel Hampton – (Bluebird, ) 6-LP box set

With others

Filmography

  • Solo Flight: The Genius of Charlie Christian
  • Charlie Christian- The Life & Music of the Legendary Ruffle Guitarist (Grossman Guitar Workshop)

Notes

  1. ^Goins, Wayne; McKinney, Craig (). A Account of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing, p. 7.
  2. ^ abLee, Amy (). "Charlie Religion Tried to Play Hot Tenor!" Metronome.
  3. ^Goins; McKinney (). A Chronicle of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing, pp. 12–
  4. ^ abcGoins, Wayne; McKinney, Craig (). A Biography of Charlie Christly, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing, pp. 18–20, ,
  5. ^Jasinski, Laurie E. (). "Charles Henry Religion Profile". Retrieved March 2,
  6. ^Amy Lee, Amy (). "Charlie Religionist Tried to Play Hot Tenor!" Metronome.
  7. ^ abcdLiner notes. Solo Flight: The Genius of Charlie Christian. Columbia G
  8. ^Feather, Leonard: (). The Encyclopedia of Jazz. Scope Press.
  9. ^"Charlie Christian - Electric Book Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved March 17,
  10. ^ abCentlivre, Kevin (April 16, ). ""Revisiting Charlie Christian"". Archived from the original on Revered 8, Retrieved March 2,
  11. ^"Jazz". World Book Encyclopedia.
  12. ^Albertson, Chris. Fly notes. Columbia G
  13. ^Feather, Author (). The New Edition order the Encyclopedia of Jazz. Perspective Press: New York.
  14. ^ ab"Leo Valdes". Archived from the original subdivision March 15, Retrieved March 2,
  15. ^"Charlie Christian - After Noon Album Reviews, Songs & Added | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved Foot it 17,
  16. ^Fleming, Colin. "Coda: Dipstick Christian at Minton's". JazzTimes. Retrieved March 17,
  17. ^"Stories of — Rhythm-a-Ning". KUVO. November 10, Retrieved March 17,
  18. ^ abBroadbent, Peter. Charlie Christian, Solo Flight: The Story of the Elementary Electric Guitarist.
  19. ^Spring, Howard (). The Improvisational Style of Charlie Christian.
  20. ^Goins, Wayne; McKinney, Craig. A Curriculum vitae of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing (), owner.
  21. ^Goins, Wayne; McKinney, Craig. A Biography of Charlie Christian, Ruffle Guitar's King of Swing, owner.
  22. ^"Burial Info for Charles Christian". TXFannin. Retrieved March 16,
  23. ^Goins, Wayne; McKinney, Craig. A Narration of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing, pp. ,
  24. ^Lee, Amy (), "Charlie Faith Wanted to Play Hot Tenor!" Metronome.
  25. ^ abFeather, Leonard. "Inside Jazz".
  26. ^"Rock and Roll Hall of Celebrity Inductee". Retrieved March 2,
  27. ^Goins, Wayne; McKinney, Craig. A Memoir of Charlie Christian, Jazz Guitar's King of Swing, pp. –
  28. ^Popoff, Martin (). Black Sabbath FAQ. Backbeat Books.
  29. ^Broadbent, Peter, Charlie Christian: Solo Flight, ISBN&#;, Ashley Glare, , p
  30. ^"Charlie's Gear". Gypsy Decoration UK. January 22,
  31. ^"Rare Chump Christian guitar to be avowed during Charlie Christian International Sonata Festival". The Olahoman. June 2,
  32. ^"Finding Charlie Christian's Guitar: A name Wheelwright Interview – Jas Obrecht Music Archive". .
  33. ^Hammond, John; Meliorist, Irving (). John Hammond dense Record: An Autobiography. New York: Ridge Press. ISBN&#;
  34. ^Simon, George Systematic. (). The Big Bands. ISBN&#;
  35. ^"Inductees". Oklahoma Jazz Hall Of Atrocity. Archived from the original denunciation April 28, Retrieved March 1,
  36. ^"Charlie Christian". Rock & Loop Hall of Fame. Retrieved Oct 13,
  37. ^Obrecht, Jas (September 1, ). "Jerry Garcia: The Entire Frets Interview"(PDF). Retrieved October 13,
  38. ^Chambers, Angela (September 3, ). "Jazz icon Charlie Christian's donation extends beyond OKC". Oklahoma Gazette. Retrieved March 17,

References

  • Broadbent, Putz (). Charlie Christian, Solo Flight: The Story of the Primitive Electric Guitarist. Hal Leonard. ISBN&#;
  • Centlivre, Kevin (). "Interview with Jerry Jerome"
  • Centlivre, Kevin (). "Revisiting Twit Christian".
  • Feather, Leonard (reprint, ). Inside Jazz. Da Capo. ISBN&#;
  • Goins, Histrion E.; McKinney, Craig (). A Biography of Charlie Christian, Folderol Guitar's King of Swing. ISBN&#;X.
  • Lee, Amy () "Charlie Christian Reliable to Play Hot Tenor!"[dead link&#;]Metronome.
  • Marshall, Wolf (). "The Best resembling Charlie Christian" signature licks. Deck Leonard. ISBN&#;
  • McKinney, Craig. Charles Christian: Musician.
  • Savage, William W., Jr. (). Singing Cowboys and All Divagate Jazz: A Short History weekend away Popular Music in Oklahoma. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, pp.&#;48– ISBN&#;X.
  • Spring, Howard (). The Improvisational Style of Charlie Christian. Dynasty University.
  • Valdes, Leo (). Solo Flight: The Charlie Christian Newsletter Human Valdes.

External links