Christian instrumental cd, eMusic.com in Music

"The Original Guitar Hero" (09/24/2002) Jazz Instrument Christian, Charlie, Legacy RecordingsThis is a selection from the 4-CD box THE GENIUS OF THE ELECTRIC GUITAR. Personnel: Charlie Christian (guitar); George Auld (tenor saxophone); Cootie Williams (trumpet); Benny Goodman (clarinet); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Johnny Guarnieri, Dudley Brooks (piano); Artie Bernstein (bass); Nick Fatool, Jo Jones, Harry Jaeger (drums). Producer: John Hammond. Compilation producers: Michael Brooks, Michael Cuscuna. Recorded in 1939-1940. Includes liner notes by Les Paul and Brad Tolinski. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Personnel: Charlie Christian (electric guitar); Benny Goodman (clarinet); Georgie Auld (tenor saxophone); Cootie Williams (trumpet); Count Basie, Dudley Brooks, Fletcher Henderson, Johnny Guarnieri (piano); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Harry Jaeger, Jo Jones , Nick Fatool (drums). Liner Note Authors: Derek Trucks; Duke Robillard; Brad Tolinski; Herb Ellis; Jimmie Vaughan; Joe Satriani; Les Paul; Russell Malone; Tal Farlow; B.B. King; Vernon Reid; Barney Kessel; Walter Becker; Warren Haynes; Bill Frisell; John Scofield; Brian Setzer. Recording information: Word Studios, NY (10/02/1939-11/07/1940). This eight-track sampler from Columbia's The Genius of the Electric Guitar box set is a fairly ill-advised promotional gimmick that offers a slice of the box to people who may be unsure of its overall worth. It is far from a definitive sampler, though, and as such is a waste of money, because those who are convinced to buy the box will have paid an extra ten bucks, while those who decide that the sampler stands on its own will be deprived of many of Christian's essential performances. If you're a big Christian fan, buy the box; otherwise, the original (and still-available) Genius of the Electric Guitar is still the best way to go. ~ Jim Smith This eight-track sampler from Columbia's The Genius of the Electric Guitar box set offers a slice of the box to people who may be unsure of its overall worth. It is far from a definitive sampler, though. If you're a big Christian fan, buy the box; otherwise, the original (and still-available) Genius of the Electric Guitar is still the best way to go. ~ Jim Smith

"After Hours" (05/09/2000) Jazz Instrument Christian, Charlie, Original Jazz Classics/Dizzy Gillespie. Personnel includes: Charlie Christian (guitar); Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet); Rudy Williams (alto saxophone); Don Byas, Kermit Scott (tenor saxophone); Joe Guy, Hot Lips Page, Victor Coulson (trumpet); Thelonious Monk, Al Tinney, Ken Kersey (piano); Nick Fenton, Ed Paul (bass); Kenny Clarke, Tom Miller (drums). Recorded live at Minton's Playhouse and Clark Monroe's Uptown House, New York, New York in May 1941. Originally released on Esoteric (548). Includes liner notes by Leonard Feather. Digitally remastered by Kirk Felton (2000, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California). Personnel: Charlie Christian (guitar); Rudy Williams (alto saxophone); Don Byas, Kermit Scott (tenor saxophone); Dizzy Gillespie, Hot Lips Page, Joe Guy (trumpet); Al Tinney, Thelonious Monk (piano); Kenny Clarke, Tom Miller (drums). Audio Remasterer: Kirk Felton. Liner Note Author: Leonard Feather. Recording information: Clark Monroe's Uptown House, New York, NY (05/06/1941-05/12/1947); Minton's Playhouse, New York, NY (05/06/1941-05/12/1947). AFTER HOURS is an excellent live document of the early roots of bebop, capturing this exciting music in the process of being built by its pioneering architects. Recorded live in New York City at jam sessions at Minton's Playhouse and Monroe's Uptown House in 1941, these tapes feature young modernists Charlie Christian, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke, and Don Byas as they pushed the structural materials of swing toward something new and intense. Beyond the historical significance of these sessions, however, the music is simply fabulous. There are revisions of "Stardust" and "Stompin' at the Savoy, " but the tunes are mainly blues-based improvisations, with plenty of syncopated play and stretched-out soloing from all involved. Christian's guitar takes center stage--his fluid, fleet-fingered style and mellow amplified tone have become such a stock part of jazz guitar, it is hard to remember that he almost single-handedly wrote the book. Though Gillespie gets double-billing on this set, he only appears on four of the nine tunes, but one can hear early hints of the advanced technical style that would explode in his work with Charlie Parker in the later '40s. This music is truly classic.

"The Immortal Charlie Christian [Columbia]" (09/30/1992) Jazz Instrument Christian, Charlie, Legacy RecordingsPersonnel: Charlie Christian (guitar); Don Byas (tenor saxophone); Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Guy (trumpet); Thelonious Monk, Kenny Kersey (piano); Nixk Finton (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums). Recorded live at Minton's, New York, New York in May 1941. Personnel: Charlie Christian (guitar); Don Byas (tenor saxophone); Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Guy (trumpet); Ken Kersey, Thelonious Monk (piano); Kenny Clarke (drums). Liner Note Author: Leonard Feather. Recording information: Minton's in Harlem (05/1941). Aside from the name being misspelled on front and back cover, guitarist Charlie (not Charley) Christian was at the forefront of the bebop revolution. These ten tracks show why, and also gives rise to the notion of Christian being the first to wield an amplified electric guitar. The CD has a nice range of bop classics, three written by co-conspirator Dizzy Gillespie, two originals of Christian's, a lone standard, and a tribute to Jack Kerouac. This collection represents not only a smidgen of what Christian did before his career was tragically cut short, but opens a window into his grand contributions to jazz. Though only an appetizer and a bit flawed, it is tasty. ~ Michael G. Nastos

"Sacred Music From the Mountains" (08/19/2003) Country Various Artists, Crossroads (Music Box Recordings)Performers includes: Aubrey Haynie, Bryan Sutton. Sacred Music From the Mountains features a variety of songs that evoke responses synonymous with transcendental experiences in mountainous contexts. It's a rather engaging concept, particularly since it's so abstractly executed. Many will be familiar with the songs on this album since they are longtime religious anthems, examples being "Holy, Holy, Holy," "Amazing Grace," and "Old Rugged Cross." However, as wonderfully odd as this album's concept may be, the performances are unfortunately lackluster and perhaps even faceless. ~ Jason Birchmeier

"Records 1981-1989" (09/23/1997) Jazz Instrument Marclay, Christian, Atavistic RecordsRecords 1981-1989 is a fascinating collection of Marclay's work during the 1980s, the results of hours of home recordings -- using up to eight turntables and various other instruments of his own making -- plus many live performances (one track comes from a nationally televised appearance on the David Sanborn/Hal Willner program Night Music). Marclay did much more than just scratching and sampling for these tracks -- "One Thousand Cycles" uses an increasing variety of repeated samples and clicks to create a complex rhythm of its own, while "Pandora's Box" varies the speed on its array of plunderphonics. (Though the latter sounds like an easy contemporary of late-'90s major-label turntablist LPs, it was originally released on a 1984 avant-indie compilation from Sweden that also featured Sonic Youth and Live Skull.) ~ John Bush

"Selected Broadcasts and Jam Sessions [Box]" (08/13/2002) Jazz Instrument Christian, Charlie, JSP (UK)Personnel includes: Charlie Christian (guitar); Lester Young, Georgie Auld (tenor saxophone); Buck Clayton, Cootie Williams (trumpet); Benny Goodman (clarinet); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Count Basie, Teddy Wilson, Johnny Guarnieri, Fletcher Henderson (piano); Freddie Green (guitar); Walter Page, Oscar Pettiford, Artie Bernstein (bass); Nick Fatool, Jo Jones, Gene Krupa, Kemmy Clarke (drums). Recorded between 1939 & 1941. Includes liner notes by Nevil Skrimshire. Personnel: Charlie Christian (guitar); Mike Bryan, Freddie Green (guitar); Benny Goodman (clarinet, trumpet); Skip Martin (alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Gus Bivona, Gene Kinsey, Earle Warren, Rudy Williams, Jimmy Horvath, Les Robinson (alto saxophone); Don Byas, Georgie Auld, Jerry Jerome, Lester Young, Pete Mondello, Buddy Tate (tenor saxophone); Bob Snyder, Jack Washington (baritone saxophone); Alec FILA, Cootie Williams, Ed Lewis, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Shad Collins, Billy Butterfield, Jimmy Maxwell, Buck Clayton (trumpet); Dicky Wells, Lou McGarity, Benny Morton, Dan Minor, Cutty Cutshall (trombone); Count Basie, Ken Kersey, Dudley Brooks, Fletcher Henderson, Billy Rowland, Joe Sullivan, Johnny Guarnieri, Albert Ammons, Meade "Lux" Lewis, Milt Raskin, Pete Johnson , Teddy Wilson, Walter Page (piano); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Red Norvo (xylophone); Harry Jaeger, Dave Tough, Gene Krupa, Jo Jones , Kenny Clarke, Nick Fatool, Taps Miller (drums). Liner Note Author: Nevil Skrimshire. Recording information: Carnegie Hall, NY (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); Catalina Casion, Hotel St Catherine, Santa Catalina Hot (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); Clarke Monroe's Uptown House' Harlem, NY (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); Coconut Grove, Hotel Ambassador, Los Angeles, CA (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); Detroit State Fair (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); Empire Room, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, NY (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); Harlem Breakfast Club, Minneapolis, MN (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); Madison Square Garden, NY (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); Manhattan Center, New York, NY (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); Minton's Playhouse, Hotel, Cecil, Harlem, NY (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); New York, NY (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); Peacock Court, Mark Hopkins Hotel, San Francisco, CA (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY (08/19/1939-06/??/1941); The Make Believe Ballroom, NY (08/19/1939-06/??/1941). Director: Benny Goodman. Arrangers: Jimmy Mundy; Skip Martin . Read the title carefully: These are broadcast recordings that Charlie Christian made between 1939-1941. A majority of these shows were recorded with the Benny Goodman Sextet, but there is also material by the Goodman All Stars, the Benny Goodman Orchestra, Count Basie & Friends, and the Kansas City Six. The real meat of this box, however, are the now-famous jam sessions recorded at Minton's Playhouse, Clarke Monroe's Uptown House, and the Harlem Breakfast Club. Over the years, these have been prized by Christian's fans as the purest examples of his genius and the possible birth of bebop, and there are enough of them here to warrant the purchase of the whole set. As for remastering, the quality of sound of the broadcasts is fair to poor, occasionally good; the jam sessions, however, are mostly clean, and sometimes surprisingly so. People interested in Christian's essential legacy need to first digest Columbia's Genius of the Electric Guitar box, but JSP deserves credit for assembling this rare material at an extremely affordable price. ~ Jim Smith

"Sextet Featuring Charlie Christian" (08/22/1989) Jazz Instrument Goodman, Benny, Legacy RecordingsPersonnel includes: Benny Goodman (clarinet); Charlie Christian (electric guitar); George Auld (tenor saxophone); Cootie Williams (trumpet); Count Basie, Johnny Guarneri (piano); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Artie Bernstein (bass); Gene Krupa, Nick Fatool (drums). Recorded in New York, New York between 1939 & 1941. Includes liner notes by Leonard Feather. Digitally remastered by Tim Geelan (CBS Records Studios, New York, New York). Personnel: Benny Goodman (clarinet); Charlie Christian (electric guitar); Georgie Auld (tenor saxophone); Cootie Williams (trumpet); Count Basie, Ken Kersey, Dudley Brooks, Fletcher Henderson, Johnny Guarnieri (piano); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Harry Jaeger, Dave Tough, Jo Jones , Nick Fatool (drums). Liner Note Author: Leonard Feather. Recording information: Los Angeles, CA (10/02/1939-03/13/1941); New York, NY (10/02/1939-03/13/1941). Photographer: Frank Driggs. Like its companion reissue, GENIUS OF THE ELECTRIC GUITAR, this offers eighteen digitally remastered cuts with thorough documentation and detailed liner notes. Charlie Christian is generally credited with establishing the electric guitar as a legitimate voice in jazz, and, despite his death at 23 from tuberculosis in 1941, his slender recorded output remained the one true standard for the instrument until the arrival of another self-taught incendiary, Wes Montgomery, in the 1950s. Christian's playing was full of blues devices, many of which were developed into riff tunes such as "Soft Winds," "Shivers," "AC--DC Current" and "A Smo-o-o-oth One," all heard here. "A Smo-o-o-th One" appears in a more nascent state on GENIUS as the air check "Waitin"For Benny"; this version and 'Breakfast Feud" are both previously unissued masters. Christian shines on the standards and ballads too, and if you remember a certain soothing credit card commercial of a few years back, you'll enjoy finally getting to hear the other two minutes and twenty-seven seconds of "I'm Confessin' That I Love You."

"The Genius of the Electric Guitar [Columbia Box Set] [Box]" (09/17/2002) Jazz Instrument Christian, Charlie, Legacy RecordingsTHE GENIUS OF THE ELECTRIC GUITAR features recordings Charlie Christian made with the Benny Goodman Sextet and Orchestra, plus small studio groups recordings from 1939-1941. Personnel includes: Charlie Christian (electric guitar); Georgie Auld (tenor saxophone); Benny Goodman (clarinet); Cootie Williams (trumpet); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie, Johnny Guarnieri, Dudley Brooks (piano); Artie Bernstein (acoustic bass); Jo Jones, Nick Fatool, Harry Jaeger, Dave Tough (drums). Includes liner notes by Chris Albertson. Digitally remastered by Tim Geelan (CBS Studio, New York). Personnel includes: Charlie Christian (electric guitar); Benny Carter (alto saxophone): George Auld, Lester Young (tenor saxophone); Cootie Williams, Buck Clayton, Harry James (trumpet); Jack Teagarden (trombone); Benny Goodman (clarinet); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Johnny Guarnieri, Dudley Brooks, Ken Kersey, Jess Stacy (piano); Freddie Green (guitar); Artie Bernstein, Walter Page (bass); Nick Fatool, Jo Jones, Harry Jaeger, Dave Tough, Gene Krupa (drums). Producer: John Hammond. Compilation producers: Michael Brooks, Michael Cuscuna. Recorded between 1939 & 1941. Includes liner notes by Les Paul, Peter BRoadbent and Loren Schoenberg. All tracks have been digitally remastered. THE GENIUS OF THE ELECTRIC GUITAR was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards For Best Historical Album. Personnel: Charlie Christian (electric guitar); Helen Forrest (vocals); Arnold Covey (guitar); Freddie Green (acoustic guitar); Benny Goodman (clarinet); Buff Estes, Gus Bivona, Skip Martin , Toots Mondello, Benny Carter , Les Robinson (alto saxophone); Bus Bassey, Eddie Miller, Georgie Auld, Jerry Jerome, Lester Young, Pete Mondello (tenor saxophone); Bob Snyder (baritone saxophone); Irving Goodman, Alec FILA, Cootie Williams, Harry James, Johnny Martel, Ziggy Elman, Jimmy Maxwell, Buck Clayton (trumpet); Ted Vesely, Jack Teagarden, Lou McGarity, Vernon Brown, Red Ballard, Cutty Cutshall (trombone); Count Basie, Ken Kersey, Dudley Brooks, Fletcher Henderson, Jess Stacy, Johnny Guarnieri (piano); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Harry Jaeger, Dave Tough, Gene Krupa, Jo Jones , Nick Fatool (drums). Liner Note Authors: Peter Broadbent; Les Paul; Loren Schoenberg. Recording information: Los Angeles, CA (10/02/1939); New York, NY (10/02/1939); World Studios, NY (10/02/1939). Illustrators: Will Kennedy ; Mora Driscoll. Arrangers: Fletcher Henderson; Jimmy Mundy. Charlie Christian's complete recorded output was limited to a large handful of studio sides cut with the Benny Goodman Sextet, some air checks and studio outtakes, the 1938 Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall and a few live tapes made at Minton's (Harlem's legendary after-hours cradle of bebop). As often happens in such cases, this small amount of material has been repackaged every which way, making it hard to know where to start. Start here. Columbia's Jazz Masterpieces recordings feature digital remastering, a generous number of cuts, full documentation of sidemen and recording dates and interesting liner notes (not to mention cool hand-colored photography). GENIUS OF THE ELECTRIC GUITAR features such essential repertoire as "Seven Come Eleven," "Breakfast Feud," "Air Mail Special," and Christian's one feature with the full Goodman big band, "Solo Flight" (known elsewhere as "Chonk, Charlie, Chonk"). Goodman always hired stellar personnel; during Charlie's all-too-short tenure (from 1939 to his death from tuberculosis at age 22 in 1941), the Sextet also included, for a few of these recordings, Count Basie on piano.