TRANSCRIPTIONS

•   One of the greatest solos ever recorded in the history of jazz:  “TOPSY”   (widely known as “Swing to Bop”)

•   The two studio recordings of Charlie Christian’s famous Guitar Concerto:  “SOLO FLIGHT”

•   A brilliant solo on “HONEYSUCKLE ROSE” in a studio recording with the full orchestra

•   Spartan comping that upstages The Lionel’s vibes, and a dynamite solo on “DINAH”

•   Charlie Christian’s only two-chorus solo on “STAR DUST” — from “The Harlem Breakfast Club” in Minneapolis

•   “IDA, SWEET AS APPLE CIDER” — a 32-bar guitar solo masterpiece on a tune with great changes

•   Both versions of  “I FOUND A NEW BABY” — a different guitar solo on each of these studio gems...with some similarities

•   “BLUES IN B” — a most extraordinary, ingenious blues improvisation — five-chorus solo in the key of  B

•   The two best-known versions of  “ROSE ROOM” (10/2/39 & 10/9/39) — a magnificent one-chorus solo on each of these classic performances

•   An incredible jam on “ROSE ROOM” — an intro and two solos (four full choruses) of absolute creativity and genius

•   The two remaining versions of  “ROSE ROOM” (10/28/39 & 6/6/41) — not the two well-known takes but classics in their own right

•   Two exceptional versions of  “HONEYSUCKLE ROSE” (12/24/39 & 11/19/40) — this time with the sextet in concert and on an aircheck

•   The remarkable “HONEYSUCKLE ROSE” recorded at Minton’s (aka “Up on Teddy’s Hill”) — with a fantastic bridge solo on the out chorus

•   “GRAND SLAM” — a boogie originally issued as “Boy Meets Goy” — one of Charles’ best blues solos with the sextet — key of F

•   A slow blues (in the key of E♭) from Carnegie Hall — “PAGING THE DEVIL” — Charles’ perfect 2-chorus solo with the Kansas City Six

•   Both takes of another exquisite slow blues in E♭ — “PROFOUNDLY BLUE” — intros & 3-chorus solos with the Edmond Hall Celeste Quartet

•   Another excellent slow blues with the Kansas City Six — 2-chorus solo (this one in the key of F) — “GOOD MORNING BLUES”

•   “AD-LIB BLUES” — a blues in the key of C — 2-chorus solo — also some riffs;  & a false start in the key of B♭

•   The two versions of  “POOR BUTTERFLY” — stunning 8-bar solos on a studio date and on a recently-released aircheck

•   Another recently-released aircheck — “STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY” (June 1941) — unfortunately, only two-thirds of CC’s solo was recorded

•   Swingin’ solo from a Lionel Hampton session — “HAVEN’T NAMED IT YET” — last 8 bars:  great entrance;  diminished runs

•   A perfect, melodic 8-bar solo jewel — “ON THE ALAMO” — swingin’ slow tempo—great for beginning guitarists to start with (in the key of E♭)

•   Studio recording of  “THESE FOOLISH THINGS” — a 4-bar chord intro and an 8-bar bridge solo on which CC plays around with the melody

•   An 8-bar intro and three free-wheeling choruses on “TEA FOR TWO” — from a jam session at the Harlem Breakfast Club

•   A wild jam with lots and lots of CC — “STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY” (5/8/41) — the rarest of all the Newman recordings from Minton’s Playhouse

•   Six choruses of some of CC’s very best — “STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY” (5/12/41) — another jam from Minton’s Playhouse

•   From a jam at Monroe’s:  2½-chorus CC solo — “STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY” (May 1941) — aka “Lips Flips” / “On with Charlie Christian”

•   A never-released blues from the “America in Swingtime” broadcast of February 1941 — “THE BLUES” — one of CC’s best blues solos

•   Unreleased studio breakdown of  “UNTITLED TUNE” — a superb 12-bar blues solo by CC

•   A fast blues with the sextet — “BREAKFAST FEUD” — Charles’ 2-chorus solo on one of his most popular tunes + tag

•   Another never-released aircheck — “STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY” (2/19/41) — only one chorus but with an amazing CC performance

•   Charlie Christian’s first studio recording with the Goodman sextet — “FLYING HOME” (10/2/39) — the master take

•   The alternate take and a breakdown of  “THESE FOOLISH THINGS” — 4-bar chord intros and, on the alternate take, an 8-bar bridge solo by CC

•   The rare recording of  “HONEYSUCKLE ROSE” — radio broadcast from the Catalina Casino on Santa Catalina Island, California

•   Master and alternate takes of  “I SURRENDER, DEAR” — sixteen-bar solos on each with some similarities between the two + a short rehearsal

•   Three transcription pages of each of the master & alternate takes of  “THE SHEIK OF ARABY” — intro verses, solos, fours on the out choruses

•   Two solo transcriptions of “THE SHEIK OF ARABY” — radio broadcasts from The Cocoanut Grove nightclub in L.A.

•   An exquisite 8-bar solo break — “I’M CONFESSIN’” — slow tempo in the key of A♭ with an astonishing CC solo opening

•   A never-released fragment from the “America in Swingtime” broadcast of 1941 — “ROSE ROOM” — only five bars of CC’s solo

•   Another never-released item from the “America in Swingtime” broadcast of 1941 — “FLYING HOME” — complete with a 32-bar CC solo

•   Charles’ very first recorded solo:  “FLYING HOME” — broadcast live from The Hollywood Bowl

•   Charles’ second recording of  “FLYING HOME” — broadcast on WEAF in Manhattan

•   The elusive alternate take of  “GRAND SLAM” — from the 10 April 1940 studio date

•   Both takes of  “AS LONG AS I LIVE” — from the lengthy Columbia recording session of 7 Nov 1940

•   Unreleased studio take of  “UNTITLED TUNE” with 12-bar blues solo –and 4-bar interlude– by Charles

•   The two airchecks of Charlie Christian’s eminent Guitar Concerto:  “SOLO FLIGHT”

•   The often-neglected first-rate  “I HADN’T ANYONE TILL YOU”  from the extraordinary pre-rehearsal

•   Prime cut from the rehearsal session with Prez:  “I NEVER KNEW”

•   Five brilliant bridges on  “MEMORIES OF YOU” — two  studio takes, three from ‘live’ performances

•   Charles’ first “Metronome All Stars” session:  “ALL STAR STRUT” — all three takes from the 7 Feb 1940 studio date

•   Christmas Eve at Carnegie Hall for the “From Spirituals to Swing” concert:  “OH, LADY BE GOOD” — all three choruses and bridge

•   Charlie Christian  “RIFFIN’ AROUND”  for 176 free-wheeling bars
     and its sidekick  “A SMO-O-O-OTH ONE”  (aka “Waitin’ for Benny”)

•   “I GOT RHYTHM”  at “The Harlem Breakfast Club” in Minneapolis — both takes

•   Three takes of  “I CAN’T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE” … Baby

•    “DICKIE’S DREAM”:  Charlie’s & Lester’s Dream … with Basie, Freddie, Prez
     and the preceding blues  “WHOLLY CATS”  in its initial manifestation

•   with the “Kansas City Six” at the “From Spirituals to Swing” concert: 
the sole version of the 28-bar composition  “WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS” — 24 December 1939

•   theme riffs, Solo, closing riffs:  “PICK-A-RIB” — 30 December 1939

•   remaining five transcripts of early  “FLYING HOME” recordings

•   three broadcasts from the “What’s New? - The Old Gold Show” complete all the  “FLYING HOME” transcripts

•   transcriptions of all five  “AC-DC CURRENT” recordings

•   Charles’ eminently popular (then and now) composition  “SEVEN COME ELEVEN”  — three versions
     and its 78-rpm flipside  “SHIVERS”  — also three versions

•   the other three tunes from the singularly profound Celeste Quartet session on Blue Note
“JAMMIN’ IN FOUR” / “EDMOND HALL BLUES” / “CELESTIAL EXPRESS”

•   a chord intro and chordal accompaniment on two tunes from September 1939
“ONE SWEET LETTER FROM YOU” – 11 Sep  and  “OPUS ½” – 23 Sep

•   transcriptions of all six  “GONE WITH ‘WHAT’ WIND” recordings
(two studio takes and four airchecks) with 24-bar blues solos and riffs on each

•   a short solo and a chord intro on two songs from 4 October 1939 – Charles’ only pop session
“STAR DUST” (solo)  and  “WRAP YOUR TROUBLES IN DREAMS” (intro)

•   transcripts of all six studio takes of  “WHOLLY CATS” – five complete, one breakdown

•   transcripts of the three airchecks of  “WHOLLY CATS” – recorded after the studio takes

•   transcripts of the nine versions of  “SIX APPEAL” – airchecks and studio takes

•   “I GOT RHYTHM”  at “Minton’s Playhouse” in Harlem
commonly known as “DOWN ON TEDDY’S HILL”

•   “I GOT RHYTHM”  at “Monroe’s Uptown House” in Harlem
commonly known as “GUY’S GOT TO GO”

•   An aircheck and a studio take of  “TILL TOM SPECIAL” – theme, riffs, Solo, riffs, tag

•   A 12-bar blues chorus on  “ONE O’CLOCK JUMP”  with the Metronome All Star Band

•   Bridge solos on  “LI’L BOY LOVE” – two takes, with orchestra

•   Two airchecks:  “SOUTH OF THE BORDER”  and  “SONG OF THE ISLANDS”  from 1939 and 1941, respectively

•   transcripts of the three versions of  “ROYAL GARDEN BLUES” – all studio takes

•   the three studio takes of  “A SMO-O-O-OTH ONE” – guitar intro, solo, riffs

•   six studio takes and two radio airchecks of  “BENNY’S BUGLE” – two-chorus blues solo, riffs

•   master take of Charlie Christian's composition  “SOFT WINDS” – guitar intro, theme, riffs, theme, guitar coda
plus alternate take and two radio broadcasts

•   All renditions of  “GOOD ENOUGH TO KEEP” studio takes and one live session – 32-bar solos on each of the six

•   All of the many versions of  “BREAKFAST FEUD” studio takes – including breakdowns without CC solos – and a couple of airchecks

•   Two takes of the vocal  “THE HEEBIE JEEBIES ARE ROCKIN’ THE TOWN” with lots of good work by the guitarist in a supporting role

•   Both the fast and the slow sets of the enigmatic  “I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH ME”  from the fantastic studio jam

•   Seven studio takes and two airchecks of  “GONE WITH WHAT DRAFT” (aka “Gilly”) with ‘written-out’ guitar solo on the 12-bar cadenza

•   Four additional versions of  “STAR DUST” join the two previously published guitar solos

•   Three songs were cut on the first Halloween 1939 session with blues singer Ida Cox for Vocalion Records
“DEEP SEA BLUES” – “DEATH LETTER BLUES” – “ONE HOUR MAMA”
And four more songs on the other, later Halloween 1939 session
“FOUR DAY CREEP” – “PIN SLIP BLUES”
“HARD TIME BLUES” – “TAKE HIM OFF MY MIND”

•   Eight bars of riffs on  “JUST LIKE TAKING CANDY FROM A BABY” – an alternate and a master take

(Click on the tune title)

Charlie Christian solo transcriptions published by others can be referenced in the Clive Downs Bibliography.

Supplemental non-solo transcriptions of themes, riffs, outros, and the like, with tablature, can be found here.

Special Note:

If you’ve tried other transcriptions and tabs (see the notated solos bibliography), you may find a few surprises here.
I expect anyone that checks out the transcriptions on this site will have some points of contention.  Let me hear it:  e-mail.
The “Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider” entry has additional stereotypical tabs to facilitate comparison.

When repeating the same note in his solos, especially at the end of a phrase, Charles very often played those notes on different strings.   I have exaggerated that!  –  when indeterminable, I have depicted the alternate-strings method.
You can pick and choose when to use that maneuver … or ignore it completely.
However, most of the time it actually is divergent strings.
 

Other Comments:

Keep in mind that Charlie Christian used down-strokes almost exclusively.
I have used the standard V upstroke symbol to indicate those very rare instances where an upstroke may have been used.

By the way, I’ve often heard and read that Charles played his solos across the strings (as opposed to vertically on the fretboard).  I recently read somewhere, for example, that “Django Reinhardt moved up and down the fingerboard, Charlie Christian moved across the fingerboard” or words to that effect.  Contrary to that common dogma, I’ve found that Charles played vertically much more than is indicated by other transcribers, commentators, and musicologists.
 

Chord Notations and Fingering Symbols:

The symbols used to indicate the left-hand fingering employed on the fingerboard are explained in the following table:

ultimus nota bene:

The music scores are not intended as a tutorial – there are many publications available (see the solos bibliography) to instruct the novice guitarist.  The tablatures in particular are designed to document the fascinating manner in which Charlie Christian actually played with so much vibrancy and joie de vivre.
 

“Limited Edition” transcriptions:

Below is another way of accessing the “Limited Edition” transcriptions of the complete scores that include Charlie Christian’s intros, themes, riffs, solos, etc, but without the guitar tablature.

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