Jazz Trumpet Licks

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.

Clifford Brown takes a great trumpet solo on the tune Confirmation. I really wanted to share this Jazz trumpet solo with you. Clifford Brown is known for using a hard tongue in his Jazz solos.  Clifford Brown also uses a lot of quick flips or turnarounds that he puts in pretty much everyone of his trumpet solos. If you ever heard him play this solo you’ll notice how Clifford Brown nails all the ii V7 I chords in Confirmation. This Clifford Brown trumpet solo is from his album entitled: The Complete Blue Note & Pacific Jazz Recordings. I believe Confirmation is on the last CD in this set. There are 4 CDs included with this purchase.

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This descending major triad Jazz lick is really easy to learn because it just goes down the major scale in triads based off the major scale you’re playing in. I heard Freddie Hubbard play this Jazz lick off his album on the tune entitled Dear John which is basically an arrangement of Giant Steps.

Here is a sound sample played on trumpet:

How to memorize this Jazz triad pattern in 12 keys:

This Jazz triad lick simply starts on the 2nd scale degree of whatever key you’re in, then goes down each scale degree in the current key. You’re obviously not required to start on the second scale degree for this pattern. Feel free to start on any scale degree to accomplish this lick in any variation.

The best way I found to memorize this Jazz lick is to just start on a scale degree in the current key and think in that key as I descend down the major scale of that key. It takes practice working on the lick in 12 keys before you’ll feel comfortable performing the lick in any key.