DB Hall of Fame

SOLO  FLIGHT

THE  CHARLIE  CHRISTIAN  LEGACY

DB Hall of Fame


 

 

ALL STAR STRUT
 
mx  WCO 26490 A
 
FEBRUARY  7,  1940     Wednesday Columbia Recording Studios,  NYC
 

 
  12-BAR  BLUES Key of C Quarter Note = 176 Time: 3:10
 
 
  4-Bar  Intro  +  9  CHORUSES  +  4-Bar Break  +  2  CHORUSES:
 
      4 bars  –  piano (Intro)
 
    12 bars  –  ensemble (Theme)
 
    12 bars  –  alto sax
 
  12 bars  –  CC
 
    12 bars  –  trombone
 
    12 bars  –  piano
 
    12 bars  –  clarinet
 
  12 bars  –  bass with CC chord accents
 
    12 bars  –  trumpet
 
    12 bars  –  tenor sax
 
      4 bars  –  drums break
 
    24 bars  –  ensemble (collective improvisation)
 
 

 
Personnel:
 
  Metronome All Star Nine
  CHARLIE CHRISTIAN Guitar
  BENNY CARTER alto sax
  EDDIE MILLER tenor sax
  BENNY GOODMAN clarinet
  HARRY JAMES trumpet
  JACK TEAGARDEN trombone
  JESS STACY piano
  BOB HAGGART bass
  GENE KRUPA drums
 
 

Composed by: “Randy Mergentroid”  (George T. Simon)
 
© VALDÉS 02/07/18


 

Transcription Page:     Guitar Solo  +  chords on bass solo

Master Take

 



C&A:

This was the first time Charlie Christian participated in the annual Metronome All Star sessions; the following January he would be in his final one.  Metronome Magazine sponsored these recording sessions with jazz musicians selected based on its readers’ poll.  Thirteen sessions were held intermittently for 18 years – this February 1940 date was the second one.

     ALL STAR STRUT     7 February 1940

WCO 26490 x     breakdown:

The assembled nonet (each of the nine members would get a one-chorus solo) seems to be in fairly good form for the session.  Even so, Charles’ typical blues solo makes the adjoining (Benny Carter precedes on alto, Teagarden follows on trombone) eminent soloists sound a bit archaic.  Carter, incidentally, was the most modern arranger of the era.

This unfinished first take was not released until 1983, on a Blu-Disc LP.

  LISTEN   Guitar Solo – breakdown    


WCO 26490 A     master take:

The next two takes were slowed down a bit from the initial try.  A most refreshing solo by CC is on this released take.  Anyone casually listening to this ragtime-ish swing blues on the radio would definitely perk up and take full notice of the guitar solo.  The opening phrase in Charles’ solo here became a prominent part of the out-chorus riffs on Good Enough to Keep four months later.

This take was promptly released later in the month on Columbia 78.  Nine years later it was reissued exclusively to U.S. military troops on V Disc.

  LISTEN   Guitar Solo / Chords behind bass – master take    


WCO 26490 B     alternate take:

The best of these one-chorus solos may have been on the last take where it sounds like Charles is really hitting full stride with a superb F7-C run (mm 5-7).  Immediately following that, there’s an especially notable, and unique, G9/13 sequence at mm 8-9 capped by a brilliant ending.  Unfortunately for listeners of that time, it remained in the Columbia vaults.

This last take remained unreleased for over three decades;  it appeared on LP in 1972.

  LISTEN   Guitar Solo / Chords behind bass – alternate take    

 


 
Issued Recordings:
 
  [ 78 ] Columbia 35389 (b/w King Porter Stomp)
    V Disc VD 879B (p/w M. Bailey’s The Love I Long For)
 
  [ 10 ] Columbia CL 2528 (side A, track 2)
 
  [ LP ] Astan 20085 (side A, track 5)
    Astan 20121 (side B, track 5)
    CBS / Sony SONP-50419 (side A, track 2)
    CBS / Sony SOPM 188 (side A, track 2)
    Harmony HL 7044 (side A, track 2)
    Queen Disc Q-009 (side B, track 2)
    Tax m-8039 (side A, track 2)
 
  [ CD ] Best of Jazz 4032 (track 7)
    Columbia/Legacy AC4K 65564 (disc 4, track 1)
    Columbia/Legacy C4K 65564 (disc 4, track 1)
    Definitive DRCD11176 (disc 2, track 6)
    Frémeaux FA 5050 (disc 1, track 5)
    Le Chant du Monde 274 1459.60 (disc 1, track 15)
    Masters of Jazz MJCD 40 (track 5)
    Masters of Jazz MJCD 9004 (disc 3, track 5)
    Membran 232094 [see Album Index]
    Membran 232568 [see Album Index]
    Memoir CDMOIR 591 (track 4)
    Proper P1489 (track 12)
    Proper PROPERBOX 98 (disc 1, track 12)
    Sony/Legacy 93035 (disc 4, track 1)
    Sony Music Media SMM 517115 (track 12)
    Universe / Comet UV 129/2 (disc 2, track 12)
 

 



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