By Anita Arnold, published by the Black Liberated Arts Center, 1994, not in print

Review: Ever since the Charlie Christian Jazz Festival was inaugurated in 1984, it had been held during the latter part of April or the first week of May. This year [1995] the 12th annual Charlie Christian Jazz Festival will be held on July 29th, Charles' 79th birthday anniversary, on the 300th block of N.E. 2nd Street in Oklahoma City.

That block of Deep Deuce was the center of activity during the time that Charles was developing and working in OKC. Ruby's Grill, where CC did much of his jamming, was located in a two-story building that still stands right in the middle of the block. Charles' going-away party was held at Ruby's Grill on Aug. 13, 1939, before he left OKC the following day for his audition with Benny Goodman in Los Angeles.

It was also the site of a welcome-home jam on Jan. 11, 1940 during a two-week vacation that CC took from the sextet.

For last year's [1994] festival, BLAC Inc. published an excellent 48-page, 8x11-inch souvenir book entitled Charlie and the Deuce with lots of photos and info on CC and OKC. It contains a couple of pages, gleaned from the CHRONOLOGY chapter of my unpublished book, of Charles' early history, events with the Goodman band et al, and after.

Available from Charlie's Old Books and Records, 5114 N. Classen, Oklahoma City, OK 73118, (405) 843-6902. Solo Flight: The Charlie Christian Newsletter # 1, 1995

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