orig. Charles Christian
born July 29, 1916, Bonham, Texas, U.S.
died March 2, 1942, New York, N.Y.
U.S. guitarist.
Christian grew up in Oklahoma City, Okla., and joined jazz . As one of the most advanced and influential soloists of the swing era, Christian participated in the jam sessions at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem with Thelonious Monk and Dizzy Gillespie that pioneered the harmonic advances of {{link=bebop">bebop .