The First Amplified Jazz Guitar Solos

JasO

While Charlie Christian is rightfully revered as the original "genius of the electric guitar," he was not the first to played amplified solos in a jazz setting. Soon after becoming an editor for Guitar Player magazine in 1978, I was assigned to co-author an article about Eddie Durham. Jazz historian Leonard Feather had written that Eddie's playing on Jimmie Lunceford's 1935 recording of "Hittin' the Bottle" was “probably the first recorded example of any form of guitar amplification” on a jazz recording. In our interview, Durham, who was also a great arranger and trombonist, clarified how in the 1930s he'd switched from a resonator guitar to the electric guitar. He also explained how he'd met and influenced Charlie Christian and Floyd Smith during his 1937 tour with Count Basie's band.

In a subsequent interview, Columbia Records producer John Hammond told me that before Charlie Christian's arrival in NYC, there were only two other notable electric guitarists in jazz. “One was Leonard Ware in New York," Hammond explained. "He was very good, but he was not in Charlie’s class. The other jazz guitar player was Floyd Smith, but he played a Hawaiian guitar.”

If you're interested in early electric guitar history and/or jazz esoterica, I've just posted an article in my new Talking Guitar online magazine. It's called "The First Amplified Jazz Guitar Solos: How Eddie Durham, Leonard Ware, and Floyd Smith Set the Stage for Charlie Christian." Here's a link:

https://jasobrecht.substack.com/p/the-first-amplified-jazz-guitar-solos

It features embedded music and a scan of a remarkable letter of clarification Floyd Smith sent me 44 years ago. It's a free posting, so if you're into electric guitar history, I invite you to check it out. #jazzguitar #jazz #electricguitar #charliechristian

roberty

Don't know how you managed to sneak this in without anybody noticing. Possibly something to do with the word 'jazz' ;-) 

Charlie Christian sounds great even by modern standards

Whistler

Thank you, @JasO ;, I will enjoy reading that article.

JasO

roberty said:

Don't know how you managed to sneak this in without anybody noticing. Possibly something to do with the word 'jazz' ;-) 

Charlie Christian sounds great even by modern standards

I agree, roberty. To me, Charlie's guitar playing has never gone out of style. His solos still sound as fresh and vibrant as on the days they were recorded.