Charlie Christian Study Group

[Trumpton]

Thanks for this Vinz. Great work. I've just about got the first solo - 8 more to go!

[edh]

Thank you Vinz.

edh

[christianm77]

Here is the transcription of all 9 takes of "Breakfast Feud", in the same order as they are played in the Disc #3 of The Genius Of The Electric Guitar.

Each solo is preceded by 4 empty Bb bars, where the horns play and Charlie is muted (Charlie starts on bar 5, Eb7).

Some notes on the notation used :

Attachment 25577

On top is the chord being played (in the green box) and below the shape on which Charlie bases his line (as you know, Charlie's playing is "shape based").

I found a lot of interesting things on how Charlie approaches the Blues and the chord changes, which I will show on next post...

Nice work!

I always understood these types of arpeggios (very common in CC's music) as a type of minor 6 shape - this would be Bbm6, for instance. It's kind of the same thing - but, crucially - notice he doesn't play the root (Eb). Sounds better.

If you play any gypsy jazz rhythm guitar, you can see the connection really clearly - for example we would play the same shape 6x566x a Bbm6 or an Eb9... I'm certain CC saw this connection early on and factored it into his soloing.

The m6 a fourth below the dominant chord is an extremely important substitute for getting that swing era sound - important for bebop too. It's basically one of my 'go to' devices.

[christianm77]

Here's a CC related video I did:

More to follow!

[Rob MacKillop]

I've placed all the guitar and orchestral parts for SOLO FLIGHT on my website:

Charlie Christian | Rob MacKillop ~ Musician

Get to work!

It includes a rhythm guitar chart, should you want to strum along with the original recording.

[Vinz]

I wanted to share with you some "gems" of the repertoire of Charlie that I've found in "Breakfast Feud", a Bb blues based on this simple progression:

We can see the progression composed by three parts and focus on each part separately. The proposed examples (TAB and audio files attached) have been directly taken from my transcription posted last time. The measure numbers in each example will allow you to easily identify it in the transcription.

PART A
The first four measures are static root chord. Charlie adds motion in various ways: by using the Dorian mode (Example 1), playing the diminished arpeggio (Example 2) and superimposing the iv minor chord (Example 3). Notice that when Charlie uses the "iv minor" or the "diminished" arpeggio, he is actually thinking of substituting the static I chord with a V7-I progression (see Part C). On the last measure, Charlie almost always prepares the chord change (I7 to IV7) with a position shift from the root shape to the next B7/9 shape (Examples 2 and 3). Sometimes he communicates to the listeners the chord change by emphasizing the 7th (Example 1).

PART B
This part has less surprises, as Charlie most of the times just uses the V7/9/13 shape (Example 4). What I noticed is that sometimes he moves two frets ahead to play the 11th on the 2nd string (Example 5), which creates a really catchy blues feel. The 11th is usually considered an "avoid note", but here is used purposely to create tension.

PART C
Charlie outlines the V7-I chord change by superimposing the iv minor chord on V7 before landing to the I7 chord (Example 6). The "iv minor" provides the b9 alteration on V7. He also loves using the diminished arpeggio built on the second degree of the V7 (Gdim over F7), which provides the Maj7, #5 and 11th (Example 7). Look at how Charlie uses the Maj7th and 11th, which are usually considered "avoid notes" on the V7. Notice also that when he uses the diminished arpeggio, he always lands to the Long A shape of the root chord.

As you see, the music of Charlie is NOT so simple as it may seem... Charlie can use ANY note in his melodic lines, even those commonly considered "avoid notes", like the 11th and the Maj7 on the V7 chord. This is the genius!

[MarkRhodes]

I wanted to share with you some "gems" of the repertoire of Charlie that I've found in "Breakfast Feud", a Bb blues...
As you see, the music of Charlie is NOT so simple as it may seem... Charlie can use ANY note in his melodic lines, even those commonly considered "avoid notes", like the 11th and the Maj7 on the V7 chord. This is the genius!

Thank you for this!

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks, Vinz. Love that iv minor over the V chord.

[christianm77]

OK, here is me playing the CC solo on I've Found a New Baby. This link may not work due to some jive copyright claim BS, but hopefully playing the solo with the original track is fair use - how have you guys found posting this sort of thing? It's the first time I've posting a video like this....

https://youtu.be/D9VU0bkJbcs

Let me know if it works

This should work though, my thoughts and ideas about the solo....

Let me know your thoughts! Cheers...

[Maria Sofia]

I wonder if anyone can help me please. I am looking for a piece played 'In Memory of Charlie Christian'. I do not know who composed it and that is my problem. Can anyone please help me?

[grahambop]

Maybe it's the tune on this LP by Bruce Clarke?

https://www.discogs.com/Bruce-Clarke...elease/7075713

[Dave70]

Maybe this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Clarke_(musician)

Looks like he made a recording with George Golla , "In Memory Of Charlie Christian" (aka "Soft Winds" CQCD-2712)

Never heard of 'em. Good luck with your quest.

Lol you beat me bop!

[PMB]

Bruce Clarke was a composer and jazz guitarist here in Australia who ran Cumquat Records. It was (is?) an amazing label offering great collections of classic and swing jazz guitar recordings. Here's an example:

Giants of the Acoustic Jazz Guitar Volume 1

George Golla turned 80 last year and is still out there playing and touring.

[monk]

Charlie Byrd recorded a piece on electric guitar before he switched to classic guitar titled Homage to Charlie Christian.

It was later covered by Danny Gatton

[daveg]

[christianm77]

Yeah man. I always feel Barney understood the CC approach better than anyone. I love his swing playing so much.

[daveg]

[Cabbycabbage]

Hi all
I wanted to have a go at transcribing Charlies Intro and opening solo part with Benny Goodman on Song Of The Islands.
Not sure if there is a transcription of this already out there but I hope someone will have some fun with it.

It's a cosy little solo with some of his hallmark phrasing and rhythm.

There is only standard notation with no finger marking unfortunately. Perhaps if anyone wants me to I can upload what I would consider the shapes and positions that he might have used. They appear to be fairly frequently encountered shapes that he employed moving up and down the neck. Most of the phrases are easier to execute by sliding into a new position.

I am not convinced on a couple of the rhythms notated as there is always a little discrepancy in notation from what I can tell. Hopefully most of the content is fairly accurate. Let me know what you think.

Has anyone else had a go at transcribing some of Charlies solos that don't seem to have made it into the popular books and websites dedicated to his playing?

Hope you find some use with it.

[Cabbycabbage]

I would just like to add my thanks to Jehu for posting the clip of Denis Chang playing along with Charlie Christian. Not particularly for the playing, which is excellent, but for giving me the idea of trying it. For some reason it has never occurred to me to try and play along with the original recordings. So I loaded up Grand Slam as it is short and relatively simple and gave it a go. Admittedly I had to use software to slow it down a bit, but first time through I managed to nail some of the phrases, and it never felt so good!

Next up was Til Tom Special which I've been playing from the Wolf Marshall book, and I really like the head riffs. Back to earth with a bump, as although I'm playing all the right notes in the right order, my timing is way off, so I've work to do here. But I can strum chords behind Lionel Hampton's vibes all night long so who cares

Wish I'd thought of it earlier. Is this what other people do?

I do exactly the same Trumpton! There seems to be little available analysis of Charlies rhythm work and it's a real challenge to try and work out what he might be playing with the older recordings. I read somewhere that in some of the pictures of him you can see he's comping with the thumb over the top of the neck presumably dampening the lower strings allowing him to play with great freedom. You can certainly "feel" his rhythm playing when he returns to it after taking a solo for instance.

I have found Swing & Big Band Guitar by Charlton Johnson quite a useful book. There is plenty of information and good ideas about comping in 4/4. I find it helps me look for alternative chord progressions so if like me you end up always playing the same thing at certain points in a tune. I have certainly found a new friend in the Augmented triad and its inversions when returning to a tonic chord for instance. Never ending discoveries if only I could remember them all!!!

[pcsanwald]

I definitely also have played along a lot with the recordings. I made a video and transcription here:
Charlie Christian’s Solo on “Rose Room” – paul sanwald – Medium

I think I've shared it before on this forum, but not on this thread.