DB Hall of Fame

SOLO  FLIGHT

THE  CHARLIE  CHRISTIAN  LEGACY

DB Hall of Fame


 

 

STAR DUST
 
Aircheck
 
SEPTEMBER  2,  1939     Saturday “CAMEL CARAVAN”
NBC Radio Network / WEAF
MICHIGAN STATE FAIR,  DETROIT
 

 
  32  BARS    (ABAC) Key of   D Quarter Note =   88 Time:   2:07
 
 
  Goodman:  “You've all heard Star Dust played by the trio, the quartet, and the band.  The other night while the new group in the band, the sextet, were jamming, Charlie Christian, our new guitar player, fell out in a chorus of Star Dust that no one ever heard before—nearly broke up the session.  So, tonight we thought you'd like to hear this:  the sextet playing Star Dust.”
 
 
  1 ½  CHORUSES:
 
    10  bars  –  vibes (Melody) [ behind spoken intro ]
      6  bars  –  clarinet (Melody) (over vib)
 
  32  bars  –  CC   [ add clt & vib on last 8 bars ]
 
 
  [applause]
 

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

Composed by: Hoagy Carmichael  (lyrics by Mitchell Parish)
 
©   VALDÉS   4/20/20


 

Transcription

Star Dust   –   2 September 1939   –   “Camel Caravan”
 

Guitar Solo

 



C
&A:

This was barely the second recording of Charlie Christian’s career.  Having just been contracted by the band, he had recorded for the first time just two weeks prior while at the Hollywood Bowl.  Now he was in Detroit for the Michigan State Fair where the sextet broadcast another “Camel Caravan” radio show.

It is not known when Charles re-composed Hoagy Carmichael’s most famous tune, Star Dust, but this was, as the spoken introduction noted, its first appearance on record – already fully formed.  The one-chorus chord solo featured here would remain a staple for the sextet and would be presented in this same way for every sextet rendition.  Only the details would deviate on certain passages, such as the unique measures 13-14 on this version.

Charles’ Star Dust chord solo was dedicated to his mother, Willie Mae, who had requested that he play a song for her.  He had replied that he could not publicly dedicate a song to her but that whenever he played this solo it was especially for her.  A most appropriate inscription to his beloved mom.

Exceptions to this “norm” would occur only twice:  later on in the month at a jam session in Minneapolis where he would record two full choruses and a year later at a Columbia recording session for an eight-bar solo with a small band directed by Teddy Wilson.

 


 
Issued Recordings:
 
  [ LP ] Jazum 54 (side A, track 4)
 
  [ CD ] Definitive DRCD11177 (disc 1, track 2)
    Definitive DRCD11386 (track 1)
    JSP Records JSP909 (disc 1, track 2)
    Le Chant du Monde 274 1459.60 (disc 1, track 1)
    Masters of Jazz MJCD 24 (track 2)
    Masters of Jazz MJCD 189 (track 1)
    Masters of Jazz MJCD 9004 (disc 1, track 2)
    Phontastic NCD 8845/8846 (disc 2, track 4)
   

 



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