Jazz Trumpet Licks

I’ve always enjoyed the unique Jazz trumpet style of Randy Brecker. There are some really nice diminished patterns that Randy Brecker repeats of few times in this trumpet solo. The trumpet solo starts off with a harmon mute, then Randy plays the rest of the solo open.

Why he did this, I don’t know.

It’s kind of hard to hear the chord changes going on behind him. It’s hard to believe, but Randy Brecker was playing at Jazz Land in Hungary in this video.

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 just had to share this awesome muted Freddie Hubbard trumpet solo on Cherokee with you. I’ve never heard Freddie Hubbard play the trumpet so fast and have so many good ideas at the same time. When you watch this Jazz video, keep an eye on Freddie Hubbard’s fingers and see how clean his trumpet fingering really is. I don’t even think Freddie Hubbard is looking at his trumpet valves either. Smokin trumpet solo, really!

This is a live 1990 recording that took place in Japan at the Blue Note. I had the opportunity to see the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All Star Big Band perform at the Blue Note in Japan. It’s kind of cool to see another live performance at the same place years earlier.