Air Mail Special
Benny Goodman Sextet, 1941, from Air Mail Special (single). Solo by Charlie Christian.
A fast riff tune that gave Christian room for the swinging, even-note lines later guitarists studied.
Air Mail Special is a fast riff tune that gave Charlie Christian room to show off the swinging, even-note lines that guitarists would study for decades. Playing his Gibson ES-150 with the Benny Goodman Sextet, he rides the tempo effortlessly, stringing together eighth-note phrases that outline the harmony with clarity and bounce. His tone is clean and slightly warm, cutting through the ensemble without strain. The recording helped establish a new role for electric guitar as a lead voice. Listen for how his phrases often begin with a short, catchy motif and then expand into longer runs, a technique that keeps his solo both melodic and driving at a high tempo.
Air Mail Special by Benny Goodman Sextet is featured in our Jazz (#25) list. The solo is played by Charlie Christian and the song was released in 1941.
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Who played the guitar solo on Air Mail Special?
Charlie Christian played the solo on Benny Goodman Sextet's Air Mail Special (1941).
What guitar was used on the Air Mail Special solo?
A gibson es-150, according to widely reported accounts.