DB Hall of Fame

SOLO  FLIGHT

THE  CHARLIE  CHRISTIAN  LEGACY

DB Hall of Fame


 

 

SEVEN COME ELEVEN
 
mx  WCO 26286 A
 
NOVEMBER  22,  1939     Wednesday Columbia Studios,  NYC
 

 
  32  BARS    (AABA) Key of   A Quarter Note =   234 Time:   2:42
 
 
  12-Bar Intro  +  4½  CHORUSES:
 
      4  bars  –  drums (Intro)
  -   8  bars  –  piano, bass, drums (Intro)
 
  16  bars  –  CC & ens (Theme Riffs)
      8  bars  –  clarinet
    8  bars  –  CC & ens (Theme Riffs)
 
  32  bars  –  CC
 
  16  bars  –  vibes (over CC riffs)
      8  bars  –  vibes
    8  bars  –  vibes (over CC riffs)
 
    32  bars  –  clarinet
 
  16  bars  –  CC & ens (Theme Riffs)
 
 

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

Composed by: Charlie Christian
 
©   VALDÉS   2/25/18


 

Transcription Page:        Guitar Solo

 



C&A:

One of the most popular of Charlie Christian’s compositions, this version of Seven Come Eleven has been released often and has some of his most frequently used licks.  It’s a good one with which to start learning Charles’ solo improvisations although there is one unusual feature here at bar 15 where CC reverses the syncopation of the rhythm – it’s a difficult phrase to execute accurately without a little bit of practice.  Other than that it’s full of classic examples of Charles’ work – his phrasing and fretboard fingering, the way he approaches the bridge, a lot of the hoi polloi hooks.  Good stuff for the novice.

Well, there is one other oddity – in bar 20 – where he transitions from C7 to F7.  Normally Charles would go from the A down to a G but here he goes up to a B after the A, as if he is going to continue the C7 (actually, he uses the barely-detectable B more like a pivot), then he makes the transition to F7.  A very slight, one-note deviation but it changes the usual fingering for the following F7 sequence – he plays his normal phrase but with altogether different fingering until he connects to the five notes in bar 22.  It should be noted, though, that such variations are not at all uncommon in CC solos.  This is true improvisation, not just running of changes.  The man knew how to pace his solo – he played just exactly what was needed, no more no less.

dignum memoria:  There are quite a few publications of this solo that provide by-the-book tablature (recommended for the neophyte guitarist – keep in mind, the tabs on this site document CC’s actual modus operandi).  Some of these publications are hard to find or no longer available except as used copies but they’re out there – even the at-one-time-hard-to-find, excellent-for-beginners Dochtermann is readily accessible now, as an e-Book.    [see Solos Bibliography]

postscript:  Although this site was never intended to be for the uninitiated (nonetheless we do strive to accommodate), Seven Come Eleven is so familiar to so many that it was decided to toss the entire score into the guitar transcription pages (but without tablature).     find it here     The theme riffs have been used by numerous and divergent guitarists in their solos since the 78 was released – Benny Garcia was heard incorporating those riffs into his guitar solos with the Texas Playboys in OKC not that long ago.



 
Issued Recordings:
 
  [ 78 ] Columbia 35349
 
  [ EP ] Columbia B-504 (side A, track 3)
    Philips 429 729 BE (side A, track 1)
    Philips BBE 12272 (side A, track 2)
 
  [ 10 ] Philips B 07 907 R (side B, track 2)
    Philips P 07.931 R (side B, track 3)
 
  [ LP ] Avan-Guard VSLP 213 (side A, track 1)
    CBS 159.028/29 (side A, track 3)
    CBS 177.057 (side A, track 2)
    CBS 2BP 220094 (side A, track 3)
    CBS 460612 1 (side A, track 2)
    CBS 52538 (side A, track 1)
    CBS 62.387 (side B, track 3)
    CBS 67233 (side A, track 3)
    CBS LSP 980 721-1 (side A, track 2)
    CBS / Sony 20AP 1456 (side B, track 3)
    CBS / Sony 56AP 674~6 (side A, track 7)
    CBS / Sony SOPM 155 (side B, track 3)
    CBS / Sony SOPZ4~6 (side A, track 7)
    Columbia CG 30779 (side A, track 3)
    Columbia CJ 40846 (side A, track 2)
    Columbia CL 652 (side B, track 3)
    Columbia G 30779 (side A, track 3)
    Coronet / CBS KLP 510 (side B, track 3)
    Giants of Jazz LPJT 13 (side B, track 2)
    I Grandi del Jazz GdJ-48 (side A, track 1)
    Philips BBL 7172 (side B, track 3)
    Time-Life STL-J12 (side C, track 2)
 
  [ CD ] ABM ABMMCD 1209 (track 13)
    Acrobat ACRCD 160 (track 13)
    Acrobat ACTRCD 9103 (disc 2, track 19)
    Armando Curcio Editore DEJ-54 (track 2)
    BD Jazz JZBD022 (disc 1, track 4)
    Best of Jazz 4032 (track 3)
    Better Music / Del Prado JIT016 (track 1)
    Black Bird Black Bird (track 4)
    Catfish KATCD196 (track 4)  *
    CBS 460612 2 (track 2)
    CBS / Sony 25DP 5301 (track 9)
    Classics 1064 (track 18)
    Columbia 501646 2 (track 2)
    Columbia/Legacy AC4K 65564 (disc 1, track 6)
    Columbia/Legacy C4K 65564 (disc 1, track 6)
    Columbia CK 40846 (track 2)
    Columbia/Legacy CK 86834 (track 1)
    Columbia CK 91494 (track 2)
    Connoisseur VSOP CD 271 (track 2)
    DeAgostini MJ 1032-1 (track 3)
    Definitive DRCD11176 (disc 1, track 20)
    Definitive DRCD11288 (track 2)
    Documents / Membran 223505 (disc 4, track 11)
    Documents / Membran 233118 (disc 1, track 12)
    Dreyfus Jazz FDM 36715-2 (track 13)
    Edel 0193692ERE (track 6)
    Ediciones Del Prado GJ016 (track 1)
    Ediciones Del Prado JB016 (track 1)
    Editions Atlas WIS CD 688 (track 2)
    Fabulous / Acrobat FABCD352 (track 5)
    Giants of Jazz 53049 (track 1)
    Giants of Jazz CDB 1200/3 (disc 2, track 1)
    Going for a Song GFS561 (track 3)
    History 20.1960-HI (vol. 9, disc 1, track 4)
    History 20.1969-HI (disc 1, track 4)
    Jazz Archives / EPM 15908 2 (track 3)
    Jazz Forever 67041 (track 4)
    Jazz Greats MC 027 (track 9)
    Jazz Legends 4003 (track 18)
    Jazz Portraits 14545 (track 4)
    Jazz Roots 56059 (track 4)
    Jazzterdays JTD 102410 (track 20)
    JSP Records JSP911 (disc 3, track 1)
    Le Chant du Monde 274 1357.58 (disc 1, track 20)
    Le Jazz / Charly CD 11 (track 5)
    Masters of Jazz MJCD 29 (track 6)
    Masters of Jazz MJCD 9004 (disc 2, track 6)
    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]
    MVP 50011-2 (track 6)
    Past Perfect 205798-203 (track 3)
    Primo / Proper PRMCD 6092 (disc 1, track 5)
    Proper P1489 (track 7)
    Proper PROPERBOX 98 (disc 1, track 7)
    SME / Sony SRCS 9612 (track 2)
    Sony/Legacy 93035 (disc 1, track 6)
    Sony Music Media SMM 517115 2 (track 3)
    Topaz Jazz / Pavilion TPZ 1017 (track 6)
    Universe / Comet UV 129/2 (disc 1, track 6)
 
    *  [CD]  KATCD196  incorrectly lists this as track 5.

 



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