It was one of the three songs Christian initially learned when he took up the instrument. Goodman wanted to get it over with, so he called for “Rose Room,” thinking that Christian would be left in the dust. Hammond sneaked Christian and his amplifier on the bandstand and received a murderous stare from the headliner. According to Hammond, the impatient bandleader was “convinced that it was another of my pointless enthusiasms.” But that same night, the Benny Goodman Quintet was playing a show at the swank Victor Hugo restaurant in Beverly Hills. When the pair briefly played in unison on “Tea for Two,” Goodman remained unimpressed. The Benny Goodman Sextet (from left): Lionel Hampton, Artie Bernstein, Goodman, Nick Fatool, Christian and Fletcher Henderson. In the middle of his first Columbia session, a busy Goodman took one look at the guitarist and ran back to the recording booth. The flashy new jack showed up in a garish green suit, purple shirt, pointed yellow shoes and cowboy hat.

A trip to Oklahoma City convinced Hammond, who saw Christian as the perfect kick in the backside for Goodman, who needed to energize his lethargic small groups after the departure of Teddy Wilson. Goodman’s brother-in-law, John Hammond, had set up the audition after pianist Mary Lou Williams told the producer and talent scout extraordinaire about Christian, calling the kid the greatest electric guitarist she had ever heard. Goodman and Christian got off to a rocky start at a studio session in Los Angeles on Aug. So when an exceptional instrumentalist like Charlie Christian joins, on the biggest platform in music.” ”The Benny Goodman Orchestra was essentially the biggest pop band in the world. “He hired the most talented musicians whether they were African-American or white,” says Dahan. Goodman was adamant about surrounding himself with the best players - regardless of race. While battling it out on the charts against big-band rivals Duke Ellington and Count Basie, Goodman gave African-American musicians - Christian, Williams, vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, pianist Teddy Wilson and others - access to a huge audience as he fired off a long string of hits, including “Moonglow,” “Avalon,” “In a Sentimental Mood,” “Sing Sing Sing” and “Stompin’ at the Savoy.”

Jazz musician and bandleader Benny Goodman, 1960.

Benny goodman musician