Jazz Trumpet Licks

I wanted to share this smokin Jazz trumpet solo of Tom Harrell with the Phil Woods Quintet. When I was watching this Jazz video I noticed how Tom Harrell rests his fingers over his trumpet valves. I’m wondering if this helps his technique overall on the trumpet. According to how he sounds in the Jazz clip I’m going to have to say that it helps him quite a bit.

This great recording of Tom Harrell took place in Hamburg of 1988. I have one problem though, I’m not sure what the name of the tune is. If anyone could help me out on this it would be greatly appreciated.

I heard Tom Harrell play this Jazz lick, but I can’t remember where from. It’s a pretty easy Jazz lick to learn in 12 keys and to incorporate into your Jazz improv playing. I hope you enjoy and use the Jazz lick just as much as I do.

Here is a sound sample played on trumpet:

How to memorize the Jazz lick in 12 keys:

I think bebop scale when I play this lick. I don’t care whether or not I’m playing it over a ii V7 I or not. The Jazz lick fits over a lot of different chords. Know that the lick starts on the tonic of the bebop scale you’re on, a 5th above the ending I chord (in the above example it’s G). Go down to the b7th, then up the bebop scale to the 2nd, next go up a minor 3rd to C, then down bebop scale. Continue down the bebop scale without the major 7th until you land on a chord tone of the I chord. Which in the above example is the 3rd of C.

I also added the b9 on the V7 chord, which in my opinion sounds a whole lot cooler than just playing a regular 9 on the V7 chord. What do you think?

I heard Tom Harrell play this Jazz lick in the beginning of his trumpet solo on Scrapple From the Apple off his Moon Alley album. This lick doesn’t necessarily have to be played over a ii V7 I, it can be played over a regular major chord as well. It’s a very scale like Jazz lick so it’s easy to play on trumpet.

Here is a sound sample played on trumpet:

How to memorize this Jazz lick in 12 keys:

Like I said before, since this Jazz lick is very scale like, it lays very nicely on the trumpet. You can either think of the lick as a G bebop scale lick with a raised 4th, or a C major lick with a b9 (or raised tonic). I prefer to think of it as a C major lick with a b9 in it.

If you prefer memorizing the lick in major think of starting on the 5th of whatever key you’re in, then play the major scale up to the 4th, then go down to the b9, up to the 3rd, and finally finish the scale out landing on the 3rd of the I chord.

If you prefer memorizing the lick thinking in dominant then just know that you’ll start on the tonic of whatever dominant scale you’re starting on, go up the scale to the b7, down to the #4, up a minor 3rd from that, then just finish out the dominant scale down landing on a chord tone of the I chord.

Feel free to embellish on the lick and make it your own.

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I heard Tom Harrell play this ii V7 I Jazz lick. I can’t remember what album it was off of though. This ii V7 I Jazz lick starts off using a minor arpeggio starting on the 7th then finishes off with a b9 ending on the 3rd of the I chord.

Here is a sound sample played on trumpet:

How to memorize this ii V7 I Jazz lick in 12 keys:

First you need to note that this ii V7 I Jazz lick starts on the b7th of the ii chord and goes up and down the minor arpeggio. Once it hits the b7th again the lick goes up a Major 3rd, then you start thinking in Major for the rest of the Jazz lick except for the nice sounding b9th towards the end of the lick. Finally you’ll end on the 3rd of the I chord. That’s the easiest way I’ve found to memorizing this Jazz lick in 12 keys.

You can end this Jazz lick in different variations. I give some examples in the above video. Be creative and come up with some of your own interpretations of this Jazz lick.

Here is an awesome Jazz trumpet solo of Tom Harrell with Jacky Terrasson playing piano on their Moon & Sand album. Tom Harrell takes a ride on Tune Up which is a pretty fast tune, but he nails the solo to the wall. Tune up is basically 3 different ii V7 I chords played over and over again. This means you can get a lot of good ii V7 I licks listening to Tom Harrell on this solo.

This Jazz trumpet solo gets really addicting the more you listen to it. Feel free to leave any comments on this post if you get any good licks from Tom Harrell’s trumpet solo.

**Note: Audio has been removed from this post.

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