This early maestro of the electric guitar helped put a new charge into the swing era—and not just by collaborating with Benny Goodman. His forceful picking was a precursor to rock 'n' roll, namely in performances like “Guy's Got to Go.” Elsewhere, his exciting long-form soloing (with a young Thelonious Monk on piano) can be heard on “Swing to Bop.” Another bebop innovator, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, shows up in the Christian catalog—a testament to the guitarist's wide-ranging appeal and influence. And he had a suave touch, too, as “Six Appeal” proves.