Need help identifying Charlie Christian albums Barney Kessel mentioned

[jaso]

A couple of weeks ago I began posting a series of Charlie Christian-related interviews on my website at Jas Obrecht Music Archive. I am following up the Benny Goodman and John Hammond interviews with a long unpublished interview that I did with Barney Kessel in 1981. Midway through the interview, I asked Barney to name a half-dozen Charlie Christian cuts that he'd recommend, and here's what he said:

"For one thing, it would be very easy just to get a two-record album on Columbia called Solo Flight: The Genius of Charlie Christian, which actually was not made under his name, but was repackaged by John Hammond. Now, that’s one. But that does not by any means contain all that he made or necessarily all of the best. I would say if you could get that album, and get another album on Columbia, Benny Goodman’s Sextets – I don’t know the name of it, but Columbia albums that have repackaged from singles, because Charlie never made an album. This might be under Benny Goodman’s name. There might be other takes on these things. Then there was a jam session that was recorded on a Wilcox-Gaye recording machine at one time. One label it came out on was called Vox. I don’t know if that is still under that name, but the record is available. And I know that if you buy it, on one side there will be that jam session at Minton’s, and on the other side it’s an example of early Dizzy Gillespie playing with Monk. The album I’m talking about is where he was jamming all night, and one of the songs on there is called 'Stompin’ at the Savoy.'

"Now, in addition to that, there are about four sides that he made that would be part of some album – someone has collated these things – but he made four on acoustic guitar with a clarinet player named Edmund Hall. It’s the Edmund Hall Four. Edmund Hall played clarinet, and I think Meade Lux Lewis was on celeste, of all things. And then there was a string bass, and then Charlie played non-electric guitar. And that’s really the body of his work, because he died very young and did not record very much. [Author’s note: Charlie Christian also appears on many tracks of the From Spirituals to Swing box set.]"

This interview pre-dates CDs, and I'd like to include the names -- and cover images, if anyone has them -- of the LPs Barney's refering to. Does anyone know which records he's referring to when he mentions the Goodman Sextet on Columbia, the "Vox" album with Christian on one side and Dizzy on the other, or the anthology that has the Edmund Hall sides?

Someone at the Steve Hoffman Forum suggested I ask here. Thanks!

Edited May 26, 2011 by jaso

[jazzbo]

I believe this is the cover of the first release of the Edmond Hall material:

This might have been a Benny Goodman Sextet lp he had:

[jazzbo]

Solo flight had a handful of covers US and international, but this is the one I saw first in my own life:

[jazzbo]

I've never seen covers to the Vox Records Minton recordings. . .they may have just been 78s in sleeves? If someone knows differently and if they can post images please do!

[Fer Urbina]

a two-record album on Columbia called Solo Flight: The Genius of Charlie Christian, which actually was not made under his name, but was repackaged by John Hammond.

another album on Columbia, Benny Goodmans Sextets

a jam session that was recorded on a Wilcox-Gaye recording machine at one time. One label it came out on was called Vox.

Edmund Hall Four

Using Leo Valdés's discography, I'd say

- Solo Flight is probably Columbia CG 30779, from 1972 (which Chris Albertson produced.)

- The "Sextets" could be "Benny Goodman Combos" from 1951 (CL 500)?

- The Vox issue of the Minton's jam sessions seems to have been a 78 RPM, 3-disc album from 1947 (earliest issue, I guess).

- The Edmond Hall could be a 10" (Memorable Sessions in Jazz, BLP 5026, 1953) or a 12" (Celestial Express, B-6505, 1969).

F

Edited May 26, 2011 by Fer Urbina

[JSngry]

Here's the Minton's things on LP:

Also previously released on Esoteric, reissued by OJC:

Goodman Sextet possibility:

CL 500:

Edited May 26, 2011 by JSngry

[jazztrain]

The master takes of the Edmond Hall sides were originally released on Blue Note 78s (BN 17 and BN18). They were issued as by the "Edmond Hall Celeste Quartet." The bassist on those sides in Israel Crosby.

The 10" microgroove issue that you picture (BN 5026) includes an alternate take (and not the original) of Profoundly Blue along with the master takes of Jammin' In Four, Edmond Hall Blues, and Celestial Express. This issue also includes two tunes from another Edmond Hall session that does not include Christian.

I believe this is the cover of the first release of the Edmond Hall material:

This might have been a Benny Goodman Sextet lp he had:

[Big Beat Steve]

Another "Solo Flight" cover:

Another possibility of a "Sextet" album (looks like a 70s pressing to me so it may still have been current at the time of that interview):

[jazzbo]

Thanks Jazztrain.

The Blue Note cd "Profoundly Blue" is a great source for this material. Should be a copy here or there.

[jaso]

Wow. This is wonderful! Thanks so much. I'll be using this artwork for the posting.

This Kessel interview, which I haven't listened to in 30 years, has never been fully transcribed before. There's some great stuff in it. It turns out that when Barney was 16, Charlie showed up at a gig in Oklahoma City, 1940, and watched Barney play electric guitar. Then Charlie borrowed his guitar and sat in with the band, which was called the Varsitonians. The next afternoon they jammed together at the club, and 40 years later Barney still had vivid recollections about Charlie's technique, how he talked, how he played. Barney was so excited about the subject, he talked non-stop for nearly 50 minutes. I'll probably post it tomorrow.

[medjuck]

This whole thread is pretty impressive.