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Pre-WarBluesLicks:Swing/JumpElectricLinesalaCharlie

Christian

WolfMarshall

January14,2010

Thisbatchoflickscomesfromtheswingjazzandjumpblueseraofthelate1930sandearly1940s.Inthisperiod

therewasamuchcloserrelationshipbetweenjazzandblues.Horn-drivenbigbandswerethepopularmediumof

thetimeandpredominatelyusedacousticguitariststoprovideastrictlyaccompanimental,rhythmguitar

role—thatis,untilCharlieChristianappearedonthescene.Christianplayedinnovativemelodylinesonthenewly-

marketedelectric-Spanish(ES)guitar,ahollowbodiedGibsonES-150.HismixofearthyOklahomaandTexasblues

andswinging,sax-inspiredphrasesmarkedtheformalemergenceoftheelectricguitarinblues,pop,jazz,and

laterrockmusic.HisworkwiththeBennyGoodmanSextetsetthestandardforearlycomboswithelectricguitars;

theelectricguitaristswhofollowedinthe1940swereunderthespellofCharlieChristianandsoughttoemulate

hissoundandstyle.Manyofhislickswereheardinthesubsequentwaveofelectricswingandjumpblues

guitaristsoperatinginthe1940sand1950s.Christian’slicksalsoin8luencedblues-basedrock’n’rollplayersof

the1950slikeScottyMooreandChuckBerry.Youwillnodoubtnoticeseveralcommonalitiessuchasextensive

useofthesixthdegreeofthescale(thecharacteristicdissonanceoftheswingera),tritonedoublestops,anda

consistentswingingeighth-notefeel.

Tomaintainsonicauthenticity,IplayedtheselicksonaGibsonES-175Dwithheavy-gauge8latwoundstrings.Theneckpickupwasused

exclusivelyandthetonecontrolwasrolleddownslightly(around7or8).Thetoneoftheampwassetforawarmandmoderatelyclean

soundwithahintoftubeoverdrive.Tubeampsareamustforthismusic—solid-stateguitarampli8icationhadn’tbeeninventedyet.

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Pre-WarBluesLicks:Swing/JumpElectricLinesalaCharlieChristian http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/print/Pre_War_Blues_Lick...

1of2 12/13/20137:47AM

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Listen

Pre-WarBluesLicks:Swing/JumpElectricLinesalaCharlieChristian http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/print/Pre_War_Blues_Lick...

2of2 12/13/20137:47AM