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Chapter 6: The Golden Era of Big Band Swing: The 1930s and Beyond
Plugged in and proud of it: Charlie Christian,
the first jazz guitarist
After Charlie Christian (1916–1942) plugged in
one of the first electric jazz guitars made by
Gibson, he quickly re-invented the art of jazz
guitar. In Christian’s hands, with a louder voice
that could be heard in a big band, the guitar
stepped out as a solo instrument that traded
licks with saxes and trumpets. In 1939 in Los
Angeles, Benny Goodman reluctantly granted
Christian an audition (after all, there was no
such thing as an electric jazz guitarist or even a
guitarist who wanted to solo like a saxophonist),
and after an awe-inspiring 45-minute solo on
“Rose Room,” Christian was invited to join the
band.
During the three years before he died of tuberculosis
in New York, Christian created the
single-line style of electric jazz guitar, improvising
melodic strings of notes in a style comparable
to that of the major saxophonists. In the
1940s, he was among the few big band swing
musicians to participate in jams at New York
City’s Hickory House that led to the invention of
bebop, which I cover in Chapter 7.
� Oscar Pettiford (1922–1960): Pettiford succeeded Blanton as Ellington’s
bassist, and extended Blanton’s ideas while playing a variety of melodic,
harmonic, and improvisational roles (as well as cello).
� Chick Webb (1909–1939): Chick was among the first to tune his drums
and to use wire brushes.
Romancing America: Talented singers
Showmanship, musicianship, and tight, catchy tunes propelled big bands to
popular success. Most of the bands also featured vocalists whose personalities
and lyrics gave audiences a friendly way into the music. Some of the
great singers were primarily interpreters and entertainers (crooners); others
used their voices as instruments for innovation and improvisation and
extended Louis Armstrong’s earlier explorations of vocal potential, including
his early scat-singing (see the nearby sidebar for details). The recording ban
of 1942, in a dispute over royalties, didn’t cover vocalists, so many singers
made popular (though not always great) recordings.
Songwriters of the 1930s and 1940s such as George and Ira Gershwin, Cole
Porter, Harold Arlen, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, Jerome Kern, and
Johnny Mercer took jazz in a lighter direction. The singers connected with a
broader audience. Never before had so many talented singers and great
songs existed in the industry at the same time.
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