Looking for Charlie Christian suggestions

[Face of the Bass]

So last week I bought a new computer and with it came a $100 Itunes gift card. On a lark the first thing I decided to get with this was the Charlie Christian--Genius of Electric Guitar four-disc set on Columbia. Fantastic, fantastic stuff--I have spent most of the past several days wading through the music.

My question now is what else is out there that is worth picking up, that is not found on the Genius of Electric Guitar set? Any suggestions are welcome.

[mjzee]

There's not much out there: some tracks on Blue Note with the Edmond Hall Celeste Quartet, the live tracks from Minton's (see Jazz Immortal on OJC), the recently released tracks on Uptown ("Electric"), the tracks with Goodman and the Kansas City Six on From Spirituals To Swing, and live tracks compiled on an Andorran label that I'd never link to. All are worthwhile; I'd start with Jazz Immortal.

[JSngry]

Get that Minton's stuff.

Get it, like, RIGHT NOW.

Why are you still reading this?

GO!

[jeffcrom]

Yep. Minton's.

[Face of the Bass]

Get that Minton's stuff.

Get it, like, RIGHT NOW.

Why are you still reading this?

GO!

Am downloading as I type this...

[JSngry]

Enjoy!

As a treat, there should be a long version of "Stardust" that features Don Byas. His solo on this tune at this time was a bit of a set routine, but only just a bit, and even at that, what he plays to open the tune is some of the best tenor playing I've ever ehard, period.

CC's not on that cut, though, but it should be on the album.

[Face of the Bass]

Listening to it now. This is EXACTLY what I was hoping was out there. I can't believe I went this long without paying much attention to Christian. Thanks guys, for the help.

[fasstrack]

I've been meaning to write a tune and title it Charlie Christian got me in a World of Trouble. Because after hearing that Minton's stuff I lost now only all interest in rock and roll, but also in being a nice Jewish boy-you know, the kind that gets a REAL job (; The clincher for me was a low E, the open 'fat' E string-in the middle of his solo on Stompin' at the Savoy changes. Cut through me like a fucking knife. 'High Anxiety-it's YOU that I blame'... I forget what's on Genius of...but I don't think it covered the entirety of the Goodman stuff that I had as a teen on Solo Flight-the Genius of Charlie Christian (Columbia 2'fer). Or maybe it did. Anyway, no one's mentioned the side w/Pres-I had it as Charlie Christian and Lester Young. Two geniuses in a pod-Christian 'hot' and exciting, Pres just as hot on a lower burner. I still get tingles from an ascending run Pres played against stop-time on a blues. Heaven and no less.

[JSngry]

I still get tingles from an ascending run Pres played against stop-time on a blues.

Let me guess - this one?

Me too!

[colinmce]

Enjoy!

As a treat, there should be a long version of "Stardust" that features Don Byas. His solo on this tune at this time was a bit of a set routine, but only just a bit, and even at that, what he plays to open the tune is some of the best tenor playing I've ever ehard, period.

CC's not on that cut, though, but it should be on the album.

Funny, I spun JI a couple weeks ago and almost made a thread about that solo. It blew my hair back.

Also, FWIW the versions of "Rose Room" and "Royal Garden Blues" with Goodman are probably two of my 10 favorite jazz performances ever.

[JSngry]

Enjoy!

As a treat, there should be a long version of "Stardust" that features Don Byas. His solo on this tune at this time was a bit of a set routine, but only just a bit, and even at that, what he plays to open the tune is some of the best tenor playing I've ever ehard, period.

CC's not on that cut, though, but it should be on the album.

Funny, I spun JI a couple weeks ago and almost made a thread about that solo. It blew my hair back.

When I was young, I used to play that solo for my also young, uber-hip Trane Only friends and just wait for the moment when their faces would finally freeze, to be followed a few seconds later by an almost involuntary "DAMN".

Happened every time. Every time. At first there would be a little "c'mon, man..." about the tone and all that, but inevitably it would happen.

Don Byas was a baaaaaaaaddddd man. If you're a player of the tenor and can't grasp that, especially from that solo, then you are not a Tenor Player. You're just not.

[Pete C]

Get the JSP box. It's cheap and the remastering on the Minton's/Monroe material is the best I've heard. And it also has what I think was a studio rehearsal session with Prez--a mix of Goodman & Basie musicians in a septet, IIRC.

http://www.amazon.com/Selected-Broadcasts-Sessions-Charlie-Christian/dp/B00006ANJ5

Edited September 4, 2012 by Pete C

[jazzbo]

I'd say if FTB has the itms he has (Columbia box and the Minton's) I don't think he needs the JSP box. The Columbia I believe has that rehearsal material.

I have the Columbia box, several different versions of the Minton's material, and all nine volumes of the Masters of Jazz series (I'm fortunate). I don't think there is any more than that. I listen to those nine volumes more than the others.

[medjuck]

CC is someone for whom you can be a compulsive completist without going broke. BTW The "Definitive" box set of live performances has pretty good sound. Almost anything missing from it is on t Masters of Jazz Vol. 9. The Uptown doesn't contain anything you can't find elsewhere but has the best sound for the Jerry Jerome set.

[scoos_those_ blues]

Is this the reissue you got?: http://www.amazon.com/The-Genius-Of-Electric-Guitar/dp/B008S80S1C/ref=sr_1_sc_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347224998&sr=1-3-spell&keywords=geniue+of+electric+guitar

Nothing on Amazon that I could see about this being a remaster. I am interested to know what the sound's like. Wondering if it is a step up from this old 1989 CD: http://www.amazon.com/Goodman-Sextet-Featuring-Charlie-Christian/dp/B0000026TA . I assume the material is duplicated.

[J.A.W.]

Is this the reissue you got?: http://www.amazon.com/The-Genius-Of-Electric-Guitar/dp/B008S80S1C/ref=sr_1_sc_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347224998&sr=1-3-spell&keywords=geniue+of+electric+guitar

Nothing on Amazon that I could see about this being a remaster. I am interested to know what the sound's like. Wondering if it is a step up from this old 1989 CD: http://www.amazon.com/Goodman-Sextet-Featuring-Charlie-Christian/dp/B0000026TA . I assume the material is duplicated.

The 2012 box is a reissue of the box that came out in 2002, which was remastered and sounded a lot better than the bad-sounding earlier disc. Having said that, I don't like the sound on the 2002 box either, to my ears it is harsh/shrill. I have the long OOP French Masters of Jazz CDs, which I think have the best sound of all.

Edited September 9, 2012 by J.A.W.

[scoos_those_ blues]

Is this the reissue you got?: http://www.amazon.com/The-Genius-Of-Electric-Guitar/dp/B008S80S1C/ref=sr_1_sc_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347224998&sr=1-3-spell&keywords=geniue+of+electric+guitar

Nothing on Amazon that I could see about this being a remaster. I am interested to know what the sound's like. Wondering if it is a step up from this old 1989 CD: http://www.amazon.com/Goodman-Sextet-Featuring-Charlie-Christian/dp/B0000026TA . I assume the material is duplicated.

The 2012 box is a reissue of the box that came out in 2002, which was remastered and sounded a lot better than the bad-sounding earlier disc. Having said that, I don't like the sound on the 2002 box either, to my ears it is harsh/shrill. I have the long OOP French Masters of Jazz CDs, which I think have the best sound of all.

I might well pick the reissue box up when it's released. I love the Benny Goodman sides with Christian. And only have ancient remasters. It seems that the reissue may have corrected the earlier physical box, which upset a few people.

[robertoart]

I had a copy of this at one time. Unfortunately I can only locate the cover and can't find the dvd. I remember really enjoying some of the memories of those that knew Charlie Christian. I also remember reading some personal reminiscences by Barney Kessel that I enjoyed very much. Anyone else seen this DVD and have any opinions?

My vinyl copy of the Minton's session's is this one.

It's on a French label called Jazz Legacy. I always thought it had a big full sound, considering the source.

Edited September 14, 2012 by freelancer

[WD45]

Is this the reissue you got?: http://www.amazon.com/The-Genius-Of-Electric-Guitar/dp/B008S80S1C/ref=sr_1_sc_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347224998&sr=1-3-spell&keywords=geniue+of+electric+guitar

Nothing on Amazon that I could see about this being a remaster. I am interested to know what the sound's like. Wondering if it is a step up from this old 1989 CD: http://www.amazon.com/Goodman-Sextet-Featuring-Charlie-Christian/dp/B0000026TA . I assume the material is duplicated.

The 2012 box is a reissue of the box that came out in 2002, which was remastered and sounded a lot better than the bad-sounding earlier disc. Having said that, I don't like the sound on the 2002 box either, to my ears it is harsh/shrill. I have the long OOP French Masters of Jazz CDs, which I think have the best sound of all.

I might well pick the reissue box up when it's released. I love the Benny Goodman sides with Christian. And only have ancient remasters. It seems that the reissue may have corrected the earlier physical box, which upset a few people.

That 2002 box with its lame foam-slot CD holders was most unfortunate. Some sort of reaction between the foam and the discs caused a rather heavy haze to appear on all of my discs. I could barely buff them out with my 3/4 HP bench grinder / polisher. Glad to see they have fixed this.

[Mark Stryker]

Great stuff re: "Stompin' at the Savoy" and Christian from Miles Okazaki via Ethan Iverson: http://dothemath.typepad.com/dtm/stompin-at-mintonsby-miles-okazaki.html

[Fer Urbina]

I'm late, I know, but

- The 4-CD set does have the rehearsal session with Lester Young, plus all the Benny Goodman, etc. In the 2002 set the takes of I Found a New Baby were mixed up.

- Minton's and Monroe's stuff, what JSngry said. The OJC has pretty good sound, but some (all?) of the tracks sound a tad too fast. Swing to Bop (the one based on Topsy) should be in Bb, not B. The Masters of Jazz corrected this but they used a source with fake applause on it. MoJ, Vol. 9 has an unissued Stompin' at the Savoy in very good sound, except for a bit where it disappears completely.

- The Minneapolis 1939 jam session is most complete in the Uptown reissue. Previous reissues were missing some bits and in some cases had the two takes of I Got Rhythm spliced together.

Other stuff to be considered:

- In the 4-CD set, the "Waitin' for Benny" rehearsal. That's a very interesting recording, is sounds like a wax cylinder for the first two minutes, then it's pristine.

- The From Spirituals to Swing recordings, especially the three tunes with CC as part of the Kansas City Six, with Buck Clayton, Lester Young, Freddie Green, Walter Page and Jo Jones. These are included in the MoJ, the Definitive, and the JSP sets.

For those with Spotify, I made a list some time ago. You can read about it in my blog.

F

Edited November 2, 2012 by Fer Urbina

[Fer Urbina]

Is this the reissue you got?: http://www.amazon.com/The-Genius-Of-Electric-Guitar/dp/B008S80S1C/ref=sr_1_sc_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347224998&sr=1-3-spell&keywords=geniue+of+electric+guitar

Nothing on Amazon that I could see about this being a remaster. I am interested to know what the sound's like. Wondering if it is a step up from this old 1989 CD: http://www.amazon.com/Goodman-Sextet-Featuring-Charlie-Christian/dp/B0000026TA . I assume the material is duplicated.

Most likely: same sound as 2002 (much better than the 1989 CDs IMHO), discs in individual cardboard sleeves, same as other sets such as Mingus, Dexter Gordon, Woody Shaw.

Also, the 2002 box presented for the first time all the unspliced and complete takes of Breakfast Feud correctly identified. It'll be interesting to see whether they have corrected the Found a New Baby mishap.

F

[Fer Urbina]

CC is someone for whom you can be a compulsive completist without going broke. BTW The "Definitive" box set of live performances has pretty good sound. Almost anything missing from it is on t Masters of Jazz Vol. 9. The Uptown doesn't contain anything you can't find elsewhere but has the best sound for the Jerry Jerome set.

Depends on the kind of completist you are . Besides the Columbia box, the Definitive and the JSP, there's MoJ vol. 9, some Camel Caravan shows on CD (Jazz Band?). Jazz Heritage released a double CD of Benny Goodman music from the Yale archives, vol. 11 I think it is, that had two previously unissued broadcasts by the Sextet.

And then, there's the stuff on the Savory recordings...

F

[robertoart]

Does anyone know the history of the Mintons/Monroe source. Does the original source still exist? Who has it?

Are the re-issues from copies etc? It was interesting to read of a speed corrected Swing To Bop (Topsy). But fake applause?

I have never felt the sound quality to be a barrier in this priceless recording. Almost the opposite in fact. CC's guitar sound is all Blues and balls.

[mjzee]

There are also two dates with Charlie Christian on the Mosaic "The Complete Lionel Hampton Victor Sessions 1937-1941":

Dizzy Gillespie (tp), Benny Carter (as, arr), Coleman Hawkins, Chu Berry, Ben Webster (ts), Lionel Hampton (vib), Clyde Hart (p), Charlie Christian (g), Milt Hinton (b), Cozy Cole (d).

Supervised by Leonard Joy

NYC, September 11, 1939

When Lights Are Low

When Lights Are Low

One Sweet Letter From You (LH-vcl)

Hot Mallets

Early Session Hop

Henry "Red" Allen (tp, vcl), J.C. Higginbotham (tb), Earl Bostic (as), Lionel Hampton (vib, vcl), Clyde Hart (p), Charlie Christian (g, el-g), Artie Bernstein (b), Sid Catlett (d).

NYC, October 12, 1939

I'm On My Way From You (LH-vcl)

Haven't Named It Yet

The Heebie Jeebies Are Rockin' The Town (LH, HA-vcl)

The Heebie Jeebies Are Rockin' The Town (LH, HA-vcl)