The Electric Guitar, a history

[jaxson50]

Eddie Durham was a musical genius,, it's a shame his name isn't as well known as so many others including Charlie Christian or Robert Johnson, 

For one thing, Eddie was a tinkerer,  by 1929 he had already built his own electric guitar, and made his own pickups! He played in, and arranged for, the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra in the 1930s; recorded with the Kansas City Five and Six, featuring Lester Young and Jo Jones; composed and arranged most of the material for the Count Basie Orchestra; arranged In the mood for Glenn Miller. 

He was a composer of extraordinary ability,  this recording is from 1935, four years before Charlie Christian was hired by Goodman and was recorded.  Eddie never drank, never smoked and never cussed,  not the typical image of a jazz man of that era.

 

 

[jaxson50]

 

[sparquelito]

Here's a thought for you to ponder;

What one thing is manufactured by the thousands each day, all over the world, with certain knowledge that most consumers will acquire it, barely learn to play it, allow it to collect dust, and then later sell it or give it away?

The electric guitar, naturally. 

A mind-boggling notion, truly. 
But for us guitar lovers and guitar collectors, it's a comforting thought. 

🙂



 

[merciful-evans]

8 hours ago, jaxson50 said:

Eddie Durham was a musical genius,, it's a shame his name isn't as well known as so many others including Charlie Christian or Robert Johnson, 

For one thing, Eddie was a tinkerer,  by 1929 he had already built his own electric guitar, and made his own pickups! He played in, and arranged for, the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra in the 1930s; recorded with the Kansas City Five and Six, featuring Lester Young and Jo Jones; composed and arranged most of the material for the Count Basie Orchestra; arranged In the mood for Glenn Miller. 

He was a composer of extraordinary ability,  this recording is from 1935, four years before Charlie Christian was hired by Goodman and was recorded.  Eddie never drank, never smoked and never cussed,  not the typical image of a jazz man of that era.

 

 

Enjoyed that Jax. Thanks.

Its an important point that electric guitar seemed inevitable. There had already been 2 unsuccessful attempts before Electro String. Les Paul and many others had tried using phonograph styli & phone receivers on guitar bodies. It seems Eddie 'made' his own resonator guitar using a pie pan before getting a National, and used a megaphone for live guitar amplification. 

[Whitefang]

Along with Durham, let's not also forget another pioneer in the use of the electric guitar, and a man who influenced many others, like Chuck Berry, B.B. King and beyond. (I don't think Robert Johnson belongs in an electric guitar discussion. )  

I give you---- T-Bone Walker.  

Whitefang

[Whitefang]

19 hours ago, mihcmac said:

Johnny B Goode was one early guitar song that I couldn't get out of my head then a little later Tobacco Road going into the early 60's, not to forget Peter Gunn and Pipeline. These were all early electric guitar songs that stood out for some reason. Comparing the early 60's to the late 60's extreme evolution took place, it was the era of electrics I think. Introducing the first power trios, some times with an additional vocalist, for the first time 3 instruments could produce enough sound for permanent ear damage.

Sorry, but originally, TOBACCO ROAD wasn't an electric guitar tune .  The song's writer, John D. Loudermilk was playing acoustically  on the original 1960 recording, which, thanks to an older step sister, is when I first heard the song..    Since then the tune has been covered over 200 times.  Legend has it The Jackson 5 recorded it for an audition tape, but nobody can provide said tape for proof.  But, here originally----

Incidentally, the first riff I learned to play was DUANE EDDY'S electric guitar riff from "Rebel Rouser".

Whitefang

[jvi]

reminds of 
Link Wray  -"rumble"  era greatness...

[mihcmac]

2 hours ago, Whitefang said:

Sorry, but originally, TOBACCO ROAD wasn't an electric guitar tune .  The song's writer, John D. Loudermilk was playing acoustically  on the original 1960 recording, which, thanks to an older step sister, is when I first heard the song..    Since then the tune has been covered over 200 times.  Legend has it The Jackson 5 recorded it for an audition tape, but nobody can provide said tape for proof.  But, here originally----

Whitefang

The Loudermilk version seems to to be the one most familial to me, but so many electric versions  that came later probably clouded my brain. One in particular was the Spooky Tooth version.

Edited April 18, 2021 by mihcmac

[jdgm]

6 hours ago, Whitefang said:

Along with Durham, let's not also forget another pioneer in the use of the electric guitar, and a man who influenced many others, like Chuck Berry, B.B. King and beyond. (I don't think Robert Johnson belongs in an electric guitar discussion. )  

I give you---- T-Bone Walker.  

Whitefang

Please excuse me but T-Bone isn't playing guitar on this track.   A gentleman called Frank Pasley is playing some fine steel guitar.   Here is T-Bone really laying down the blues in his signature style on "Mean Old World" -

 

Fun fact: T-Bone Walker and Charlie Christian knew each other. Both took guitar lessons from the same teacher at one point - a guy called Chuck Richardson in Oklahoma City.

Christian's solo on "Swing To Bop" (it's actually a tune called 'Topsy', partly written by Eddie Durham) is IMO at least 5 of the original 10 commandments of electric jazz guitar. 

Here it is - every guitarist should hear this.  Recorded on a mono wire recorder and here it replays in B so probably a semitone higher and a bit faster than it actually was.  Three and a half minutes of incredibly hip guitar playing:

 

Edited April 18, 2021 by jdgm

[brad1]

1 hour ago, jdgm said:

Christian's solo on "Swing To Bop" (it's actually a tune called 'Topsy') is IMO at least 5 of the original 10 commandments of electric jazz guitar.   

Here it is - every guitarist should hear this.  Recorded on a mono wire recorder and here it replays in B so probably a semitone higher and a bit faster than it actually was.  Three and a half minutes of incredibly hip guitar playing:

 

That was great! 

Thanks for posting that jdgm! 

Edited April 18, 2021 by brad1

[jaxson50]

2 hours ago, jdgm said:

Please excuse me but T-Bone isn't playing guitar on this track.   A gentleman called Frank Pasley is playing some fine steel guitar.   Here is T-Bone really laying down the blues in his signature style on "Mean Old World" -

 

Fun fact: T-Bone Walker and Charlie Christian knew each other. Both took guitar lessons from the same teacher at one point - a guy called Chuck Richardson in Oklahoma City.

Christian's solo on "Swing To Bop" (it's actually a tune called 'Topsy', partly written by Eddie Durham) is IMO at least 5 of the original 10 commandments of electric jazz guitar. 

Here it is - every guitarist should hear this.  Recorded on a mono wire recorder and here it replays in B so probably a semitone higher and a bit faster than it actually was.  Three and a half minutes of incredibly hip guitar playing:

 

That's a classic!  Charlie Christian  was no doubt a phenomenal player,  aren't we lucky he was hired by Goodman,. Goodman  was the first ( as far as I have been able to find) white artist to hire African American players, Lionel Hampton and Christian.  I honestly believe we would never have heard either artist if they were delegated to play in black bands, . Goodman brought jazz and blues to the white audience,  where others just stole ideas from them,  Benny showcased them.

[Retired]

Yes, thanks JDGM for posting that. Deb & I went to an Old black blues player's concert a few years back. Thought it was Buddy Guy?  Rings a bell anyway. He was very good. He had a young guy open for him. 

[Whitefang]

17 hours ago, jdgm said:

Please excuse me but T-Bone isn't playing guitar on this track.   A gentleman called Frank Pasley is playing some fine steel guitar.   

 

Thanks.  I did not know that.  But here's a clip of T-Bone playing in that unusual  style of his.  I once tried holding my guitar in that fashion and got nowhere with it.     And he's doing one of my favorite blues tunes from way back.

Whitefang