Charlie Christian - The Art of the Jazz Guitar

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THE ART Of the II'TTGUITAFil$TIN

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THE ARTOf the IALIGUIAI

Edited by DAN FOX

CONTENTS

CHARLIE CHRISTIAN BIOGRAPHY

A S-M-O.O-T-H ONE

WHOLLY CATS

SIX APPEAL

SEVEN COME ELEVEN

GONE WITH "WHAT'' WINDAIR MAIL SPECIAL

BENNY'S BUGLE

BREAKEAST FEUD

SHIVERS

TILL TOM SPECIAL

GRAND SLAM

SOLO FLIGHT

NOTATION AND HARMONIC ANALYSIS

:sTHE GOODilAN GROUP

Music PublishersNew York, Nsw York

lErn*ii*i*ctrwronf 7 f 7 W6t ElrenMnd noad P.0. BN I 38 I I tlitvau*cc, Wt SJ2 I 3

@ copyright 1964, 1988 REGENT MUSIC CORPORATION

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CHARLIE CHRISTIAN

Charlie Christian's influence on the developmentof jazzis indisputable,

and in its own way, incomparable. In a brief span of approximately three years

on the New York r.eoi, he revolutionized the concept of jazzguitar playing.

Charlie brought the instrument out of its traditionally accepted place in the

rhythm section into its present role as an exciting solo voice. His guitar style

was able to hold its own playing with and against trumpets, trombones, clari-

nets and saxophones.

Although Eddie Lang had developed a solo guitar technique in the early

30's, his single string lines were really more of an adjunct to his chords than an

independent melody line. Furthennore, in the big swing band era, the subdued

tones of the guitar were ineffectual except for rhythm playing. The problem

was inaudibility. At first a tin resonator was tried, and in 1937 electric amplifi-

cation became practical for the Spanish guitar.

charlie was born in Dallas in 1919, raised in oklahoma, and by 1934 was

playing the bass with Alphonso Trent. Eddie Durham, a trombonist in Jimmie

Lunceford's band who doubled on the guitar, and "Jim Daddy" walker are

credited with interesting Charlie in the guitar.

Eddie reports, "It was late in 1937, and I'll never forget the beat-up five

dollar guitar he (Charlie) had. I never in my life heard a guy learn the guitar

faster than he did."

By 1939 Charlie was the talk of the midwest. Back with Al Trent's band,

he toured throughout the south and middle west. With Al's sextet he blended

his single string guitar with the trumpet and tenor sax for the three part har-

monic effects that were completely new in jazz.

In was around this time that Mary Osborne entered a club in Bismark,

North Dakota. She related that at first she thought she was hearing a tenor sax

distorted by the amplifying system. Looking around she realized that the

sound was produced by Charlie playing single line solos on his electric guitar,

and voicing them like a horn. Truly, this was an innovation in jazz.

Charlie stayed with Trent for about two more years playing his solos with

an utterly relaxed even beat mainly in 8th notes. Harmonically he was able to

experiment with the more advanced harmonies and create his own improvisa-

tions around some of the better standard tunes. Rhythmically, and harmoni-

cally, his ideas were suggestive of what later became known as be-bop.

John Hammond heard charlie, and eventually persuaded Benny Good-

man to give him a try. It is reported that Charlie arrived for the meeting wear-

ing "a ten gallon hat, pointed yellow shoes, a bright green suit with a purple

shirt, and a string bowtie". The sight was too much for Benny who immediate-

ly lost interest.

However, at a performance that night while Benny was offstage, friends

moved Charlie's amplifier onto the stand. When he came back, there was

charlie, and one performer reports that they played "Rose Room", and played

it for 48 minutes. Charlie gave an inspired performance. Indeed, while he was

with the band, he seemed to bring out a new excitement in Benny,s playing.

charlie came to New York with the Goodman band in sept. '39. The next

month, Benny played his second Carnegie Hall concert. He introduced Charlie

on the sextet number, "Flying Home" saying, ". . . with Charlie christian on

the electric guitar. I really think he is one of the most terrific musicians that has

been produced in years".

For the next two years charlie played dance dates and theatre engage-

ments with Goodman's band. It was during this time that the recordings tran-

scribed in this folio were made. All were recorded with Benny Goodman's

small groups except for "solo Flight" which was done with the big band.

After hours Charlie played at jam sessions in small Harlem clubs. There

his ideas helped the evolution of a new jazz style which came to be known as

be-bop and later "modern j azz".Thiswas the collective creation of such other

participating musicians as Kenny Clarke, Charlie parker, Thelonius Monk

and,Dizzy Gillespie.

During most of his life, Charlie suffered from tuberculosis. In the sum-

mer of 1941 he suffered a relapse and was taken to Bellevue Hospital. onMarch 2,1942,he died in a Staten Island sanitarium at the age oftwenty-four.

A SMO_O-O_TH ONE

Notice the prominence of the flatted 9th, lst bar, and. the added 6th E 3. Both of these added chord tones

later became characteristic interval, o..d i" -o.i.- ia"r. arring.-ti-n]cttarlie's solo (bar @ 17 to B 24)

ir noi ioo interesting here and seems almost like a written part.

Gb

ByBENNY GOOD

abt AbmT(J=t20) Ab7 AbmT

tbt Abm?

Ab7 obt Ab7 Abm?

tbz Abm?

Gbcbo Ab7 Dbe

Ab7 Abm? Gb

3

Abm? cbocbe

cbo

tbt AbmT Gb Ab7

G7 cbr cbo

.abt

Ab7 Abm?

nbg cbo

Gb cutco7

Gb Go7 Gb

Gb obgcbe

32bar chorus sax andas letter E.

clarinet solo has been omitted here. Guitar may play the same chords

Copyright @ 1941 by REGENT MUSIC CORPORATIONCopyrtdnt henewed by iEWEL MUSIc PUBLISHING co.' lNc.'

lnt6rnational Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved

AbmT l.bz AbmT ebz Abm?

l'bt cb6 ebr

p.bzebz

tbr cba

e,bt AbmT

ebz tbz

abz

6

Bright 4

@iano intro.)

BboT

Cm

G cfio? Amz

WHOLLY CATS

Eb7

gboz Am7

BENIVY

Cm G

G cfio? Amz

C

Notice the frgure charlie uses at bg F 6 . It later becam_e a cliche in the be-bop eta.Dizzy Gillespie even

wrote a tune uaseo J"lii.ly ;;ihi ftu".. - but about five years after charlie played it.

G7G

Am7

G?GcG7GB

G

a-Dffi C'6

G6 G7G

(chords behind sax solo)

CmGG6

Eb7

Bbo? AmT

cG7

C'6Eb7G7G6at

(chords behind Piano solo)

Copyright @ 1941 by REGENT yqs-lO-CO-RPORATIONcoovriirnt henewed by JEWEL MUSIo PUBLISHING co.' lNc'

' int6rnational Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved

Am7 G

c6 r,boz Am?

G6 cfioz AmT D7

eboz

CmG

n -nG6 G7

Am?

(Benny Goodmanrs Solo)

c*o? Am?

cilo? Am? Al c$o?

K-n .-n

-

c

GC

G7 sbt

G

Cm

F,boT Am7

G7

c6 G

SIX APPEAL

ftutie in a minor _key fol a change. His conception of minor key is ong of his most original facets" Noticgfm_exarnple, that wlen pbyrng against hgvl cho-rd (Bar E z ind E g) the notes hqit"vr i*pii tn" rcrydF major, not F minor. Thus, when the "normal" F minor notes come back in Bar [B] q, thev

-come bacl

rirh an added freshness. Along wi4 this conceptio_n, notice the repeated use of Dl (insteiO of ihe expectedD) in zuch places as Bar E l+, Bar @ 15, and Bar @ 16.

BENNY C'OODMAITI

plary. Solo)

Fm Bbm

the record consisting of solos by vibes, clarinet and bass plus a riffhas been omitted.

FIncrt

gr

_ Copyright @ 1964 by REGENT MUSTC CORPORATTONCopy.right Renewed by JEWEL MUSTC pUBLtSHtNG CO., tNC.

lnternational Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved

tu

t0SEVEI{ COI\4E E.LEVE,N

Charlie's solo is full of modern devices here. Note especially:

1. the long held neighbor note (Db) in Bar @ 5, which finally resolves to the Ch in the next bar;

2. Barp 1. Here Charlie is thinking of G7 as a chord in C,major, even though the traditional methodwould be C minor as being more closely related to Ab major (the key of the piece)

3. Bar D +. Notice the dissonant passing tone (Bh) on the strong beat of the bar.

4. Bar D s. Same ur #g. This time Eh.

5. Bar D O. Added l3th to an F7 (Dl)

6. Bar D z. Added 9th to Bb7 (Ch)7. Bar IDI Z. Anticipated chord tone (Eb)

8. Bar D f O. - D f 1. Extended passage using blue notes

9. Bar D f O. Ending solo on unresolved 7thBy

BENI\ry GOODMANCHARLIE CHRISTIAN

Intro @ass SoIo)

(Melody) E

Copyright O 1940 by REGENT MUSIC CORPORATIONCopyright Renewed by JEWEL MUSIC PUBLISHING CO., lNC.


F7 r,bzC7 nbz

L2 GONE WITH "WIIAT'' WIND

Two frne swinging choruses by charlie on this blues. Besides the wonderful swinging feel of these choruses'

note rhe two beat ;iifi*;i t";;;fg;;;r th. bt *n i" nur @ e. rhe c# iJttre lower neighbor to the

ninth (A).

ByCOUNT BASIE

BENI{Y

) (Piano Solo

t2

(Clarinet Solo

Ec

c7

cG7

cF7

C

11mt2mt2m

G7

t2

Copyright @ 1941 REGENT MUSIC CORPORATION

Copyr-ig-iiREneweO by JEWEL MUSIC PUBLISHING CO" INC'---intErnational Copjright Secured All Rights Reserved

G

(Vibe Solo)

Riff

Free improvisationlill EE

L4

AIR MAIL SPECIAL

Besides Charlie's usual brilliant flow of melodic ideas - in this case against an extremely limited harmonicbackground - especially notable is the rhythmic device he uses in Bars lH 9 through | 4 1 2 where the normaltwo bar pattern of 4 + 4 is changed to 3 + 5 (marked with brackets in solo). Similarily at the beginning ofthe bridge (the double bar after lH ) Charlie superimposes a 4 x 3 beat pattern (marked with brackets)against the normal 3 x 4 Pattern.

ByBENIVY GOODMAN.JIMMY MUNDY and

CHARLIE CH

Cdim

Cdim Bdim gboim ebgb G9

Copyright O 1941 by REGENT MUSIC CORPORATIONCopyright Renewed by REGENT MUSIC CORP. & JEWEL MUSIC PUBLISHING CO., lNC.


Bbo

ehoruses by clarinet,trumpet and sax omitted here.

After 1 chor. Clarinet Solo (omitted)D. S. aI Fine

t8BE,NNY'S BUCLE

Although the riffhere is a little trite, Charlie's solo more than makes up for it. Notice his characteristic use

of the doubte neighbor note (marked with brackets throughout). Although it is used six times on the samenotes in the space of 24 bars, Charlie varies the figure in so many rhythmic ways that it never becomesboring.

MeIody

E"j

BENI{Yand COUNT

(ad lib. trpt. intro.)Bb7 Eb7

The rest of the record consisting of a piano solo, riII, sax solo and closing riff has been omitted.

Copyright O 1941 by REGENT MUSIC CORPORATIONCopyright Renewed by JEWEL MUSIC PUBLISHING CO., lNC.


BREAKFAST FEUD

'lfummany interest^in_g asp€cts of Charlie's solo on this blues. His use of the delayed passing tone be-rm I rtracteristic of charlie Parker's style - among others.km 6 Here the entire Bb chord in the following bar is anticipated - see also Bar [ 19hm 1. Note the use of the blues scale herendMg- Note the use ofdelayed passing tones. (Their resolutions are marked with arrows below)hm 16. Note the prominence of the 9th and 13th herekm 9 and Kf O. More delayed passing toneslrm l-|Srre del-agf passing tones. (There are many more examples in this solo, see especially Bar

Itv!2andMl)

WMBy

BENNY GOODMAN

lr. I12.

r,bz Ebm Bb

may be used for all thtnbo F? Bb Go Cm7

EbF7

Eb7

ffhe above choruse's)Eo F7

Bb

(Riff)

Solovbz

?^^

Copyright @ 194't by REGENT MUSTC CORPORATTONCopyright Renewed by JEWEL MUSIC pUBL|SHtNG CO., tNC.


L,2,3,4,5.6

Bb

:----v

Solo Eb

following choruses consisting of a sax solo and a repetition of the melody have been omittert-

22SHIVE,RS

A nice example of long lines of eighth notes. It is interesting to look at the shape of Charlie's solo - just theway it looks on the page. A comparison wit many great pieces of classical music will show similar outlines- the rise and fall of melody. The rules of great music - after all - apply to all kinds.

ByCHARLIE CHRISTIAN

and LIONEL HAMPTON

Intro.

Dm?b5

Dm?bs c7

obz r,bt

Copyright O 1940 (Renewed)lnternational Copyright

by REGENT MUSIC CORPORATIONSecured All Rights Reserved

Soloeab

(Vibe Solo)

nfi nbz eb

(Clarinet Solo)

ffinal riff has been omitted.

24 TILL TOM SPECIAL

Another solo in minor key. Make special note of the extensive use of the added 9th, added I lth, and added6th(seeBars@ r,Eq,E ll,O 12,@ 13,814,O 15,816,825,9 26,and' C 2il.

ByBENIVY GOODMAN

and LIONEL HAMPTON

Riff behind Vibe

Copyright @ 1941 (Renewed) by REGENT MUSIC CORPORATIONCopyright Renewed by REGENT MUSIC CORP. & JEWEL MUSIC PUBLISHING CO., lNC.


Solo@ rtn

Bend Bend

(6th) (6th)

nCRAND SLAM

Another blues progression. Charlie takes two swinging choruses. A few points of interest are:Bar @ 4 the Bb7 chord is anticipated by two beatsBar @ 6 the F chord is anticipated by two beatsBar @ 10 the F chord is anticipated by two beatsBar p 1 and p 2 delayed passing tonesBar p 4 (see note for E +)Bar p 6 (see note for tr O)

Bars p 8, D 9, and p l0 many dissonant blue notes used here.

e BENNY &ooro*

lt3

BEJ

(Clarinet Solo)

r,bz> F

C7 F -- a

r,bz

F

rmainder of the record consisting of solos by vibee,piano and clarinet has been omitted.

Copyright @ 1944 by REGENT MUSTC CORPORATTONCopyright Renewed by JEWEL MUSTC pUBL|SHtNc CO., tNC.


28SOLO FLIGHT

This is Charlie's most extensive solo recorded with the Goodrnan band. It features guitar all the waythrough, and has Charlie at his most driving and exciting. The interesting points are too numerous to men-tion, but are marked with brackets in the solo itself. They include added 7th,9th,1 lths and 13ths, delayedpassing tones and anticipations.

ByBENIVY GOODMAN,

CHARLIE CHRISTIANand JIMMY MUNDY

FC"()

G Em7E.'(A)

Copyright O 1944 (Renewed) by REGENT MUSIC CORPORATIONCopyright Renewed by REGENT MUSIC CORP. & JEWEL MUSIC PUBLISHING CO., lNC.

lnternational Copvriqht Secured All Riqhts Reserved

G(e)

Gl3add9

c*o7

Em7 Dm c*'ot

C cfioz

G7C G(e) F (e)

G?add 9.11.13^\Em7 Dm7

Bend

Dr

G7

33

- 1

^ + ?

Ebaugll

BbdimAdd A G? SOIO

GT

Ebaugll

33

Bb.oadd A

G7(Break)

AmG

NOTAIION> means: an accent

A means: a short accent

^ means: do not pick the 2nd and/or 3rd note

* rne&trs: play the written note, the note above, then the written note again rapidly;

Ex:

(J)means: replace this note with an intense rest. This is called "ghosting" a note.

HARMONIC AI{ALYSISIt is assumed that the student is aware that almost all the notes in Charlie Christian's solos

can be explained harmonically in the following manner:

Chord tones: The Root, 3rd, 5th, 6th or 7th of the rhythm chord indicated

above each solo

Passing tones: These connect chord tones bv step.

Neighbor tones: These lie within a step of, and must resolve to the chord tones

Blue notes: The b7,b3, and b5 of any major scale

*--t--

I played ffi--!-.+--__3-J-

Other points of unusual interest are mentioned above each solo.

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Charlie Christian - The Art of the Jazz Guitar

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Transcript of Charlie Christian - The Art of the Jazz Guitar