Jazz Trumpet Licks

This bebop lick goes up in ascending 3rds through the bebop scale. It is kind of like one of those basic exercises you’ve learned out the of the Arbans book. The only difference is that there is a half step between each ascending 3rd. I apologize in the video I said the Jazz lick goes up in major 3rds, but as you can see the lick really goes up in major and minor 3rds.

I got this lick from The Be Boppers Method Book Volume I for B flat Instruments with CD by Wendell Harrison. This is a great book full of good bebop exercises and patterns to work on.

Here is a sound sample played on trumpet:

How to learn this bebop pattern in 12 keys:

The lick just goes up in major and minor 3rds up the bebop scale. Try the bebop lick without the half steps in between the 3rds first. Then just add the half steps. If you are already familiar with all your bebop scales, this should be a pretty easy bebop lick to incorporate into your bag of licks.

The chord changes for The Song Is You are pretty difficult. It’s amazing how easily Ryan Kisor takes a ride over these chord changes while making beautiful melodies at a pretty fast speed. When I first heard this Jazz trumpet solo I was very impressed. If you are interested in purchasing this album, the name of it is Kisor II album. I don’t know why they called it that, but it’s good Jazz trumpet music and there are a lot of trumpet licks to take advantage of in this recording.

Video removed

A guitar player I used to work with showed me this easy ii V7 I lick.  The lick is based off the major 7th of the I chord, this is how I remember the lick.

Here is a sound sample of the lick played on trumpet:

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

The easiest way to memorize the ii V7 I lick in 12 keys is to first know that the lick starts on the major 7th of the I chord (it’s also best to think in C major throughout the entire lick). Then you go up the chromatic scale to D or the 9th. Next you go down the major 7th arpeggio until you land on the major 7th.

After you hit the 3rd of the V7 chord it goes up diminished for 3 notes then one whole step until you get the b6 (b9 if thinking in the V7 chord). Finally, the lick finishes by ending the major and landing on the 3rd of the I chord.

I know this seems like a lot of steps, that is why it’s pretty much easier to think of the whole lick in C major. Like any lick or pattern, you’ll eventually develop a feel for it and not have to think about it anymore.