(last bar w/ CC chord windup)

C&A:

On this night before New Year’s Eve, on the Saturday after the “From Spirituals to Swing” concert on the previous Sunday – the band had stopped at the Waldorf for three unrecorded nights during the week – the schedule called for a radio studio engagement.

The band’s long-running contract with the R.J. Reynolds tobacco company had expired.  It was back to RCA’s Radio City Studios for the final Saturday night “Camel Caravan” NBC broadcast (Charlie Christian was on the last 19 of the 182 programs) – the sextet is recorded on a novelty tune with a novel structure.  Sorry to say, the recording did not survive in good condition and there are a few beats missing (not in any vital place) but it’s certainly very listenable.

After a 4-bar drum intro, Pick-a-Rib goes into eleven-bar riffs with 23-bar (11+12 bars) solos alternating with the theme riffs – changes key a couple of times before in settles into A♭ – and ends with 12-bar riff choruses.  Charles takes it all seriously enough;  Guarnieri does his best Fletcher Henderson impression;  Goodman thinks shrill suites the mood.

The guitar solo is a good one.  The first part is mostly typical CC with some notable variations here and there.  The start of the second part is the attention-getter – very apropos.  Charles goes on from there with suitable, characteristic sequences.  An exceedingly pleasurable blues excursion by the guitarist.

The novelty piece was named for the NYC restaurant of the bandleader’s bassist brother.