DB Hall of Fame

SOLO  FLIGHT

THE  CHARLIE  CHRISTIAN  LEGACY

DB Hall of Fame


 

 

AC-DC CURRENT
 
mx  WCO 26355 A
 
DECEMBER  20,  1939     Wednesday Columbia Studios,  NYC
 

 
  4-BARS  +  8-BARS  “BLUES” Key of   G Quarter Note =   206 Time:   2:43
 
 
    4  bars  –  CC Intro (unaccompanied)
    8  bars  –  CC  &  ensemble Theme Riffs
 
    4  bars  –  CC   (unaccompanied)
    8  bars  –  CC  &  ensemble Theme Riffs
 
      4  bars  –  vibes (w/ drums on last 2 bars)
      8  bars  –  clarinet;  vibes riffs
 
      4  bars  –  vibes (unaccompanied)
      8  bars  –  clarinet;  vibes riffs
 
      4  bars  –  clarinet (w/ drums on last 2 bars)
      8  bars  –  clarinet;  vibes riffs
 
      4  bars  –  clarinet (unaccompanied)
      8  bars  –  clarinet;  vibes riffs
 
      4  bars  –  bass (unaccompanied)
      8  bars  –  clarinet;  vibes riffs
      8  bars  –  clarinet;  vibes riffs
 
    4  bars  –  CC  &  ensemble (unison break)
      8  bars  –  clarinet;  vibes riffs
      8  bars  –  clarinet;  vibes riffs
 
    4  bars  –  CC chords (w/ drums on last 2 bars)
      8  bars  –  clarinet;  vibes riffs
 
    8  bars  –  CC  &  ensemble Theme Riffs
    8  bars  –  CC  &  ensemble Theme Riffs
 
 

 
Personnel:
 
  Benny Goodman Sextet
  CHARLIE CHRISTIAN Guitar
  BENNY GOODMAN clarinet
  LIONEL HAMPTON vibes
  JOHNNY GUARNIERI piano
  ARTIE BERNSTEIN bass
  NICK FATOOL drums
 
 

Composed by: Charlie Christian - Lionel Hampton
 
©   VALDÉS   7/4/18


 

Transcription Pages:     AC-DC Current  —  20 December 1939

 



C&A:

The sextet treats this piece similarly on all its renditions with little space for proper solos.  Mostly four-bar breaks with the theme repeated three times and short solo statements sprinkled here and there.  It’s a slightly-modified blues that often wells up into a boogie beat.

All five recordings of AC-DC Current start out with the same guitar intro without noticeable variation.  Charlie Christian incorporated this intro sequence into his solos on a few other tunes.

The first guitar solo on the first three versions are effectually analogous.  This four-bar break follows immediately after the initial theme and may be of keen interest to guitarists in the interplay between the twelfth fret and open string;  and in the variation in detail between the three samples.  At this first guitar break, the studio take contains what some would consider the only bona fide CC solo on AC-DC Current.

On the next guitar break, with the exception of pre-bent-note scales on the initial version of the tune, beginning with the Nov 27th rendition the solos all contain the same double-stop accentuations where Charles bends the lower note.  Comparable to those he played on his intro and the out chorus on Shivers earlier in the month.

A unison break by guitar and ensemble is introduced on the later studio version which, incidentally, was not originally released – not until over a decade later, on EP.  The second half of the sequence is a familiar CC run.  The order of appearance of the double-stop and the unison readings are reversed on the final rendering.

A novel Christian-Hampton composition presented with much jubilation but not the sextet’s best outing.  Goodman seems to have been fond of it while Hampton was in the sextet.  Still, it’s good to have a sampling of CC’s unique twelfth-fret / open-string interplay.

All but the last recording of this tune took place in New York City within a three-month period.  The last one was performed at the end their four-month tour of the West Coast;  after that date on Santa Catalina Island the band would take a four-month hiatus before regrouping back East at their home base.

 
  AC-DC Current  1 14 Oct 1939 “Camel Caravan”
       
  AC-DC Current  2 27 Nov 1939 Waldorf-Astoria
       
  AC-DC Current  3 2 Dec 1939 “Camel Caravan”
       
  AC-DC Current  4 20 Dec 1939 WCO 26355 A
       
  AC-DC Current  5 30 Jun 1940 Santa Catalina


 
Issued Recordings:
 
  [ 78 ] Columbia -not issued on 78rpm-
 
  [ 45 ] Columbia G 4-2 (G 4-2-8)
 
  [ EP ] Columbia B-350 (side D, track 2)
 
  [ LP ] Avan-Guard VSLP 213 (side A, track 3)
    Blu-Disc T-1011 (side A, track 2)
    CBS 52538 (side A, track 3)
    CBS / Sony 56AP 674~6 (side B, track 2)
    CBS / Sony SOPM 162 (side B, track 2)
    CBS / Sony SOPZ4~6 (side B, track 2)
    Columbia 33SX 1035 (side B, track 2)
    Columbia CL 500 (side B, track 2)
    Columbia GL 500 (side B, track 2)
    Philips BBL 7178 (side A, track 4)
 
  [ CD ] Acrobat ACTRCD 9103 (disc 2, track 21)
    Best of Jazz 4007 (track 18)
    Better Music / Del Prado JIT016 (track 6)
    Black Bird Black Bird (track 7)
    Catfish KATCD196 (track 12)
    CBS 465679 2 (track 6)
    Classics 1064 (track 24)
    Collectors Edition CECD 003 (track 24)
    Columbia/Legacy AC4K 65564 (disc 1, track 8)
    Columbia/Legacy C4K 65564 (disc 1, track 8)
    Columbia CK 45144 (track 6)
    DeAgostini MJ 1032-1 (track 6)
    Definitive DRCD11176 (disc 2, track 3)
    Edel 0193692ERE (track 8)
    Ediciones Del Prado GJ016 (track 6)
    Ediciones Del Prado JB016 (track 6)
    Editions Atlas WIS CD 688 (track 4)
    Giants of Jazz 53049 (track 8)
    Going for a Song GFS561 (track 5)
    History 20.1960-HI (vol. 9, disc 1, track 6)
    History 20.1969-HI (disc 1, track 6)
    Japan Jazz Club EGR 2001 (track 1)
    Jasmine JASCD 515 (disc 1, track 7)
    Jazz Forever 67041 (track 3)
    Jazz Portraits 14545 (track 3)
    Jazz Roots 56059 (track 3)
    Masters of Jazz MJCD 29 (track 13)
    Masters of Jazz MJCD 9004 (disc 2, track 13)
    Membran 222777 [see Album Index]
    Membran 222800 [see Album Index]
    Membran 232094 [see Album Index]
    Membran 232568 [see Album Index]
    Membran 233423 [see Album Index]
    Music Memoria 39332 2 (track 17)
    Past Perfect 205798-203 (track 5)
    Proper P1489 (track 10)
    Proper PROPERBOX 98 (disc 1, track 10)
    Sony/Legacy 93035 (disc 1, track 8)
    Sony Music Media SMM 517115 2 (track 4)
    Universe / Comet UV 129/2 (disc 1, track 8)
 
 

 



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