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Very rare Charlie Christian!


medjuck

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https://www.hotclubny.com/radio?fbclid=IwAR0mg6Fw7ggJJO2pQpI0XJr6nRuD5oMyycCmzQnIy2lk5ip_ChB-VRQzdyY

 

This is a new website for a program called The Hot Club on New York.  the whole show is pretty great but at the 1 hour and twenty minute mark they play an uncirculated Benny Goodman and his Sextet featuring Charlie Christian playing a long blues solo!  

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2 hours ago, Captain Howdy said:

Has the America in Swingtime BG Sextet ever been available commercially?

The WNYC program has the added bonus of some great CC on "Flying Home" that the KCR doesn't have.

IMHO, the "Blues" cut isn't that interesting as far as CC's solo was, but CC's solos on Flying Home and Gone With What Wind (which is just an up tempo blues) are priceless!!!!

Benny could be a real dick about volume, as that story with CC shows. I just finished the Geo. Duvivier bio, Bassically Speaking, and Derek Smith relates the story of Duvvivier's last gig with BG. They were playing with the Quartet in Atlantic City, and Duvivier was using an amplifier. BG told him,"Pops, could you just turn it down a bit".

It was at the lowest level possible, but George went through the motions of turning it down. Benny wasn't satisfied, and said again, "Pops, turn it down".

So George turned it off, and Benny immediately asked him to turn it down again.

Without another word, George packed up the bass and amp, and left. Duvivier called BG's secretary on the way back to NY, and told her to cancel any remaining dates he had with Benny, and told her to tell Benny if he ever called him for a gig, he was "busy for life". LOL!!!!!!!

 

Edited by sgcim
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Sgcim's post about Benny's behavior is similar to many other accounts. I read the bass player's account of the early 60s trip to Russia. Benny's behavior on that tour, and at many other times, suggests some kind of mental illness. Whatever was going on, I'm glad I never had to work with the man. His lovely sound on the clarinet, and that of all his groups, give no clue about what was, at best, a highly antisocial nature.

One certainly does not have to be a martinet to get a nice-sounding ensemble. Oliver Nelson is a good example.

Edited by Shrdlu
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49 minutes ago, Shrdlu said:

Sgcim's post about Benny's behavior is similar to many other accounts. I read the bass player's account of the early 60s trip to Russia. Benny's behavior on that tour, and at many other times, suggests some kind of mental illness. Whatever was going on, I'm glad I never had to work with the man. His lovely sound on the clarinet, and that of all his groups, give no clue about what was, at best, a highly antisocial nature.

One certainly does not have to be a martinet to get a nice-sounding ensemble. Oliver Nelson is a good example.

I think the eyewitness accounts of all that would fill a book or a lengthy thread. ^_^

Edited by Big Beat Steve
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4 hours ago, Shrdlu said:

Sgcim's post about Benny's behavior is similar to many other accounts. I read the bass player's account of the early 60s trip to Russia. Benny's behavior on that tour, and at many other times, suggests some kind of mental illness. Whatever was going on, I'm glad I never had to work with the man. His lovely sound on the clarinet, and that of all his groups, give no clue about what was, at best, a highly antisocial nature.

One certainly does not have to be a martinet to get a nice-sounding ensemble. Oliver Nelson is a good example.

Derek Smith went on to say that he left the band shortly after when that psycho started to give him the "Ray". When he replaced his solo feature on "Love For Sale with a drum solo, Derek hit the road.

The bad time he gave Phil Woods on the Moscow tour is legendary. It climaxed with Benny trying to embarrass Phil at a rehearsal, and saying to Phil, "So you think you can swing more than me, huh?"

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Mel Lewis, who was on that tour, said that they had to play a complex piece for which a conductor was essential. Benny normally didn't bother with it. On one occasion, Benny did conduct, and Mel shouted "Atta boy" at him.

Meanwhile, one of the guys scored some green and half the band had some spliffs and the clarinet player didn't even notice.

Edited by Shrdlu
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