The history of the electric guitar as an important jazz voice begins with Charlie Christian. His position in the pantheon of jazz guitar is of critical importance, and also affects his position as one of the greatest-ever jazz soloists in the history of the music. Although Christian was not the first musician to use amplification during the latter half of the 1930s, his was the premier contribution that ensured that the electric guitar took over from the acoustic as the most emphatic form of expression in this area of instrumental jazz. On top of this, Christian�??s contributions to the evolution of jazz itself are of major importance. His unique brand of phrasing is just one facet of his playing that makes him stand out from other jazz guitarists of the 1930s. The horn-like quality of his long melodic lines was characterised by evenly placed notes in a legato manner. Christian concentrated on a free exposition of the conventional 4/4 time signature by deploying a new approach to the use of basic riffs to produce a kind of rhythmic excitement that was as fresh-sounding as it was exhilarating, in this aspect of his playing Christian parallels tenor saxophonist Lester Young�??s work in the Count Basie band. Christian�??s playing was further enhanced by his subtle use of augmented and deminished chords, plus unusual accents, all of which was to make major contributions to the birth and development of modern jazz. His innovations and influence have been so dramatic that elements of his style can still be heard in the work of most modern jazz guitarists today. Charlie�??s playing as documented on record, and in this boxset, was the product of a mere two years, yet it left a lasting mark on the music. From this time, jazz guitar has basically come to mean electric guitar, played Charlie Christian style.

The Original Guitar Genius - Christian, Charlie  

Disc 1

1. Flying Home 3:11
2. Rose Room 2:46
3. Stardust 3:13
4. Haven't Named It Yet 2:54
5. Memories Of You 3:09
6. Soft Winds 2:26
7. Seven Come Eleven 2:43
8. Honeysuckle Rose 3:01
9. Shivers 2:47
10. Ac/Dc Current 2:44
11. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) 2:57
12. All Star Strut 3:06
13. Till Tom Special 3:02
14. Gone With What Wind 3:21
15. The Sheik Of Araby 3:14
16. Poor Butterfly 2:49
17. I Surrender, Dear 2:59
18. Boy Meets Goy (Grand Slam) 2:52
19. These Foolish Things 3:11
20. Six Appeal (My Daddy Rocks Me) 3:17
21. Good Enough To Keep (Air Mail Special) 2:52
22. Li'l Boy Love 3:00
23. Ad Lib Blues 3:21

Disc 2

1. Wholly Cats 3:10
2. Charlie's Dream 3:11
3. I Never Knew 2:58
4. Lester's Dream 3:16
5. Wholly Cats 3:02
6. Royal Garden Blues 3:00
7. As Long As I Live 3:18
8. Benny's Bugle 3:04
9. Gilly 2:34
10. Breakfast Feud 3:08
11. I Can't Give You Anything But Love 3:21
12. Breakfast Feud 3:02
13. On The Alamo 3:23
14. I Found A New Baby 3:00
15. Gone With What Draft 2:39
16. Jammin' In Four 4:20
17. Profoundly Blue 4:06
18. Profoundly Blue No.2 4:15
19. Celestial Express 3:51
20. Solo Flight 2:46
21. A Smo-O-O-Oth One 3:16
22. Air Mail Special (Good Enough To Keep) 3:21

Disc 3

1. Flying Home 3:07
2. I Got Rhythm 5:58
3. Stardust 5:41
4. Tea For Two 4:36
5. Stardust 2:18
6. Memories Of You 3:13
7. Rose Room 3:00
8. Soft Winds 2:24
9. Shivers 2:51
10. Seven Come Eleven 2:40
11. Ac/Dc Current 2:18
12. Dinah 2:59
13. Honeysuckle Rose 3:53
14. Paging The Devil 3:46
15. Good Morning Blues 3:49
16. Oh! Lady Be Good 10:28
17. Till Tom Special 2:30
18. Gone With What Wind 3:33
19. The Sheik Of Araby 2:18
20. Six Appeal 3:37

Disc 4

1. Benny's Bugle 3:34
2. Honeysuckle Rose 4:49
3. Wholly Cats 2:37
4. Flying Home 3:34
5. Breakfast Feud 2:01
6. Gone With What Draft (Gilly) 2:36
7. Solo Flight 1:45
8. Flying Home 3:10
9. Good Enough To Keep (Air Mail Special) 3:01
10. Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider 2:40
11. Song Of The Islands 3:02
12. Topsy (Swing To Bop) 8:40
13. Stomping At The Savoy 8:14
14. Honeysuckle Rose (Up On Teddy's Hill) 6:11
15. I Got Rhythm (Down On Teddy's Hill) 3:07
16. I Got Rhythm (Guy's Got To Go) 2:16
17. Stomping At The Savoy (Lips Flips) 4:57
18. Benny's Bugle 2:57
19. Solo Flight 2:39
DISCOGRAPHY



P1489 DISC ONE - FLYING HOME







Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman, cl; Lionel Hampton, vib; Fletcher Henderson, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Nick Fatool, d.

New York, October 18, 1939



WCO 26132-A FLYNG HOME

WCO 26133-A ROSE ROOM

WCO 26134-A STARDUST



Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra : Henry �??Red�?� Allen, tp; J.C. Higginbotham, tb; Earl Bostic, as; Lionel Hampton, vib; Clyde Hart, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Sid Catlett, d.

New York, October 12, 1939



042942-1 HAVEN�??T NAMED IT YET



Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman, cl; Lionel Hampton, vib Fletcher Henderson, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Nick Fatool, d.

New York, November 22, 1939



WCO 26284-A MEMORIES OF YOU

WCO 26285-A SOFT WINDS

WCO 26286-A SEVEN COME ELEVEN



Benny Goodman and his Orchestra : Benny Goodman, cl, ldr; Ziggy Elman, Jimmy Maxwell, Johnny Martel, tp; Red Ballard, Vernon Brown, Ted Vesely, tb; Toots Mondello, Buff Estes, as; Jerry Jerome, ts; Fletcher Henderson, p; arr; Arnold Covey, g; Charlie Christian, el-g; Artie Bernstein, b; Nick Fatool, d.

New York, November 22, 1939



WCO 26290-A HONEYSUCKLE ROSE



Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman, cl; Lionel Hampton, vib; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Nick Fatool, d.

New York, December 20, 1939



WCO 226354-A SHIVERS

WCO 26355-A AC/DC CURRENT

WCO 26356-A I�??M CONFESSIN�?? (THAT I LOVE YOU)



Metronome All Star Nine : Harry James, tp; Jack Teagarden, tb; Benny Goodman, cl; Benny Carter, as; Eddie Miller, ts; Jess Stacy, p; Charlie Christian, g; Bob Haggart, b Gene Krupa, d.

New York, February 7, 1940



WCO 26480-A ALL STAR STRUT



Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman, cl; Lionel Hampton, vis; Count Basie, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Nick Fatool, d.

New York, February 7, 1940



WCO 26494-A TILL TOM SPECIAL

WCO 26495-B GONE WITH WHAT WIND



Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman, cl, Lionel Hampton, vib; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Nick Fatool, d.

Los Angeles, April 3, 1940



WCO 26718 - A THE SHEIK OF ARABY

WCO 26719-A POOR BUTTERFLY



Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman, cl; Lionel Hampton, vib; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Nick Fatool, d.

Los Angeles, April 10 1940



WCO 26743-B I SURRENDER, DEAR

WCO 26744-B BOY MEETS GOY (GRAND SLAM)



Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman, cl; Lionel Hampton, vib; Dudley Brooks, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Nick Fatool, d.

Los Angeles, June 11, 1940



WCO 26941-A THESE FOOLISH THINGS

WCO 26940-A SIX APPEAL (MY DADDY ROCKS ME)

WCO 26942-A GOOD ENOUGH TO KEEP



Benny Goodman and his Orchestra : Benny Goodman, cl, ldr; Ziggy Elman, Jimmy Maxwell, Irving Goodman, tp; Red Ballard, Vernon Brown, Ted Vesely, tb; Toots Mondello, Les Robinson, as; Bus Bassey, Jerry Jerome, ts; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Nick Fatool, d; Helen Forrest, voc; Eddie Sauter, arr.

Los Angeles, June 25, 1940



WCO 26982-A LI�??L BOY LOVE



Benny Goodman Octet : Buck Clayton, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Charlie Christian, el-g; Freddie Green, g;

Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.

New York, October 28, 1940



AD LIB BLUES





PROPERBOX 98 CHARLIE CHRISTIAN - THE ORIGINAL GUITAR GENIUS



DISCOGRAPHY



P1490 DISC TWO - CHARLIE�??S DREAM





Benny Goodman Octet : Same personnel and date as �??Ad-Lib blues�?�



WHOLLY CATS

CHARLIE�??S DREAM

I NEVER KNEW

LESTER�??S DREAM



Benny Goodman and his Sextet : Cootie Williams, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Georgie Auld, ts; Count Basie, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Harry Jaeger, d.

New York, November 7, 1940



CO 29027-1 WHOLLY CATS

CO 29028-1 ROYAL GARDEN BLUES

CO 29029-1 AS LONG AS I LIVE

CO 29030-1 BENNY�??S BUGLE



Benny Goodman and his Sextet : Cootie Williams, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Georgie Auld, ts; Kenny Kersey, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Harry Jaeger, d.

New York, December 19, 1940



CO 29261-1 GILLY

CO 29259-1 BREAKFAST FEUD

CO 29260-1 I CAN�??T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE



Benny Goodman and his Sextet : Cootie Williams, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Georgie Auld, ts; Count Basie, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Jo Jones, d.

New York, January 15, 1941



CO 29512-2 BREAKFAST FEUD

CO 29513-1 ON THE ALAMO

CO 29514-1 I FOUND A NEW BABY

CO 29519-1 GONE WITH WHAT DRAFT



The Edmond Hall Celeste Quartet : Edmond Hall, cl; Meade Lux Lewis, celeste; Charlie Christian, g; Israel Crosby, b

New York, February 5, 1941



R3459-A JAMMIN�?? IN FOUR

R3461-1 PROFOUNDLY BLUE

R3461-2 PROFOUNDLY BLUE NO. 2

R3462-A CELESTIAL EXPRESS



Benny Goodman and his Orchestra : Benny Goodman, cL, ldr; Alec Fila, Jimmy Maxwell, Cootie Williams, Irving Goodman, tp; Lou McGarity, Cutty Cutshall, tb; Skippy Martin, Gus BiVona, as; Georgie Auld, Pete Mondello, ts; Bob Snyder, bs; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Dave Tough, d; Jimmy Mundy, arr.

New York, March 4, 1941



CO 29865-1 SOLO FLIGHT



Benny Goodman and his Sextet : Cootie Williams, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Georgie Auld, ts; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Dave Tough, d.

New York, March 13, 1941



CO 29942-2 A SMO-O-O-O-TH ONE

CO 29943-1 AIR MAIL SPECIAL (GOOD ENOUGH TO KEEP)





PROPERBOX 98 CHARLIE CHRISTIAN - THE ORIGINAL GUITAR GENIUS



DISCOGRAPHY



P1491 DISC THREE - SIX APPEAL





Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman, cl; Lionel Hampton, vib; Fletcher Henderson, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Nick Fatool, d.

Broadcast, Hollywood Bowl, �??Camel Caravan�?� NBC Radio,

August 19, 1939



FLYING HOME



Jam Session : Jerry Jerome, ts; Charlie Christian, g; Frank Hines, p; Oscar Pettiford, b.

Minneapolis, �??Harlem Breakfast Club�?�, September 24, 1939



I GOT RHYTHM

STARDUST

TEA FOR TWO



Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman, cl; Lionel Hampton, vib; Fletcher Henderson, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Nick Fatool, d.

New York, Carnegie Hall, ASCAP 25th Anniversary Concert, October 6, 1939



STARDUST



Same personnel as above

Broadcast, New York, Radio City Studios, �??Camel Caravan�?� NBC Radio, October 7, 1939



MEMORIES OF YOU



Same personnel as above

Broadcast, New York �??Empire Room�?�, Waldorf Astoria Hotel

Mutual Radio network, October 9, 1939



ROSE ROOM



Same personnel as above

Broadcast, New York, Radio City Studios, �??Camel Caravan�?�,

NBC Radio, October 21, 1939



SOFT WINDS



Same personnel as above

Broadcast, New York, Radio City Studios, �??Camel Caravan�?�,

NBC Radio, November 4, 1939



SHIVERS



Same personnel as above

BroadCast, New York, Radio City Studios, �??Camel Caravan�?�,

NBC Red Radio Network, November 25, 1939



SEVEN COME ELEVEN



Same personnel as above

Broadcast, New York, Radio City studios, �??Camel Caravan�?�,

NBC Red Radio Network, December 2, 1939



AC/DC CURRENT



Same personnel as above, but Johnny Guarnieri p; replaces Fletcher Henderson

Broadcast, New York, Radio City Studios, �??Camel Caravan�?�,

NBC Radio, December 16, 1939



DINAH



Same personnel as above, but Fletcher Henderson, p, replaces Johnny Guarnieri

New York, Carnegie Hall, From �??Spirituals to Swing�?� concert,

December 24, 1939



HONEYSUCKLE ROSE



Kansas City Six : Buck Clayton, tp; Lester Young, ts; Charlie Christian, g; Freddie Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d

New York, Carnegie Hall, �??From Spirituals to Swing�?� concert,

December 24, 1939



PAGING THE DEVIL

GOOD MORNING BLUES



Count Basie & Guests : Harry Edison, Buck Clayton, Shad Collins, Ed Lewis, tp; Dickie Wells, Dan Minor, Benny Morton, tb; Earl Warren, as; Lester Young, Buddy Tate, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, Pete Johnson, Joe Sullivan, Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, Fetcher Henderson, p; Charlie Christian, g; Walter Page, Artie Bernstein, b; Jo Jones, Nick Fatool, d

New York, Carnegie Hall, �??From Spirituals to swing�?� concert.

December 24, 1939



OH! LADY BE GOOD



Benny Goodman Sextet : Benny Goodman, cl; Lionel Hampton, vib; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Nick Fatool, d.

Broadcast, New York, �??Empire Room�?�, Waldorf - Astoria Hotel, �??Fitch Bandwagon�?�, NBC Radio, December 31, 1939



TILL TOM SPECIAL



Same personnel as above

Broadcast, Los Angeles, Coconut Grove�?�, Hotel Ambassador,

NBC Radio, March 1940



GONE WITH WHAT WIND



Same personnel and venue as above

Los Angeles, April 26, 1940



THE SHEIK OF ARABY



Same personnel as above

Broadcast, San Francisco, �??Peacock Court�?�, Mark Hopkins Hotel, Mutual Radio Network, June 4, 1940



SIX APPEAL





PROPERBOX 98 CHARLIE CHRISTIAN - THE ORIGINAL GUITAR GENIUS



DISCOGRAPHY



P1492 DISC FOUR - UP ON TEDDY�??S HILL





Benny Gooman and his Sextet: Cootie Williams, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Georgie Auld, ts; Count Basie, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Harry Jaeger, d.

Broadcast, New York, �??The Make Believe Ballroom�?�, Martin Block Show, WNEW Radio, November 19, 1940



BENNY�??S BUGLE

HONEYSUCKLE ROSE



Benny Goodman and his Sextet : Cootie Williams, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Georgie Auld, ts; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Dave Tough, d.

Broadcast, New York, �??The Old Gold Show�?�, NBC Radio

February 10, 1941



WHOLLY CATS



Benny Goodman and his Sextet & Guests : Cootie Williams, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Georgie Auld, ts; Red Norvo, Xylophone; Lionel Hampton, vib; Johnny Guarnieri p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Dave Tough, d and featuring : Billy Butterfield, Irving Goodman, tp; Lou McGarity, Cutty Cutshall, tb; Gus Bivona, Les Robinson, as; Pete Mondello, ts; Skip Martin, bs; Mike Bryan, g;

Broadcast, New York, �??What�??s New? - The Old Gold Show�?� NBC Radio, February 10, 1941.



FLYING HOME



Benny Goodman and his Sextet : Cootie Williams, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Georgie Auld, ts; Milt Raskin, p; Charlie Christian, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Dave Tough, d.

Broadcast, New York, �??What�??s New? - The Old Gold Show�?�, NBC Radio,

February 17, 1941



BREAKFAST FEUD



Same personnel as above, but Count Basie, p, replaces Milt Raskin.

Broadcast, New York, �??Whats New? - The Old Gold Show�?�, NBC Radio

February 24, 1941



GONE WITH WHAT DRAFT (GILLY)



Benny Goodman and his Orchestra : Benny Goodman, cl, ldr; Cootie Williams, Alec Fila, Jimmy Maxwell, Irving Goodman, tp; Lou McGarity, Cutty Cutshall, tb; Skip Martin, Gus Bivona, as; Georgie Auld, Pete Mondello, ts; Bob Snyder, bs; Milt Raskin, p; Charlie Christian, Mike Bryan, g; Artie Bernstein, b; Dave Tough, d; Jimmy Mundy, arr.

Broadcast, New York, �??What�??s New ? - The Old Gold Show�?�

March 3, 1941



SOLO FLIGHT



Benny Goodman and his Sextet : Cootie Williams, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Georgie Auld, ts; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Charlie Christian, g;

Artie Bernstein, b; Gene Krupa, d.

Broadcast, New York, �??The Make Believe Ballroom�?� - Martin Block Show, WNEW Radio, March 10, 1941



FLYING HOME



Same personnel and show as above

March 17, 1941



GOOD ENOUGH TO KEEP (AIR MAIL SPECIAL)



Same personnel as above

Broadcast, New York, Manhattan Centre, �??What�??s New? The Old Gold Show�?� NBC Radio, April 14, 1941



IDA, SWEET AS APPLE CIDER



Same personnel and show as above

April 28, 1941



SONG OF THE ISLANDS



Jam Session : Joe Guy, tp; Kenny Kersey, p; Charlie Christian, g; Nick Fenton, b; Kenny Clarke, d.

New York, Minton�??s Playhouse, Hotel Cecil

May 12, 1941



TOPSY (SWING TO BOP)

STOMPING AT THE SAVOY



Jam Session: Joe Guy, unknown, tp; Don Byas, ts; unknown, p; Charlie Christian, g; unknown, b; d.

New York, Minton�??s Playhouse, Hotel Cecil.

May 1941



HONEYSUCKLE ROSE (UP ON TEDDY�??S HILL)

I GOT RHYTHM (DOWN ON TEDDY�??S HILL)



Jam Session : Joe Guy, tp; Don Byas, ts; Allen Tinney p; Charlie Christian, g; Ebenezer Paul, b; Taps Miller, d.

New York, Clarke Monroe�??s Uptown House

May 1941



I GOT RHYTHM (GUY�??S GOT TO GO)



Jam Session : Hot Lips Page, Joe Guy, tp; Rudy Williams, as; Don Byas, ts; Allen Tinney, p; Charlie Christian, g; Ebenezer Paul, b; Taps Miller, d.

New York, Clarke Monroe�??s Uptown House

May 1941



STOMPING AT THE SAVOY (LIPS FLIPS)



Benny Goodman and his Sextet : Cootie Williams, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Georgie Auld, ts; Johnny Guarnieri p; Charlie Christian, g; Walter Loos, b; Nick Fatool, d.

Broadcast, New York, Madison Square Garden, �??Monte Proser Dance Carnival�?�, Mutual Radio

May 28, 1941



BENNY�??S BUGLE



Benny Goodman and his Orchestra : Benny Goodman, cl, ldr, Cootie Williams, Billy Butterfield, Chris Griffin, tp; Les Robinson, Gene Kinsey, as; Georgie Auld, Pete Mondello, ts; Skippy Martin, bs; Teddy Wilson, p; Charlie Christian, g; Walter Loos, b; Nick Fatool, d; Jimmy Mundy, arr.

Broadcast, New York, Madison Square Garden, �??Monte Proser Dance Carnival�?�, Mutual Radio

June 1941



SOLO FLIGHT