Jazz Trumpet Licks

Now I know that 99.9 percent of you Jazz trumpet players out there have already heard this famous Clifford Brown trumpet solo of Joy Spring. I still wanted to add this to the website because it is just that awesome of a trumpet solo. Everything about this trumpet solo is just brilliant. From beginning to end this trumpet solo builds with intensity and gives the listener the uttermost joy of true listening to Jazz music. I hope you enjoy.

Please let us know what you think of this awesome trumpet solo below….

This Jazz pattern is pretty easy to learn and incorporate into your Jazz solos. It is basically triads based of a major scale with an added half step in between each diatonic triad going up the major scale.

Here is a sample played on trumpet over some standard Jazz blues:

How to memorize this jazz pattern in 12 keys:

This pattern makes us think about 2 major scales at the same time, so the best way to learn this pattern in all 12 keys is to first think about working up the ‘primary scale’, which is the scale we are going to work up the diatonic triads over each mode. Example over C major: CEG DFA EGB FAC GBD ACE BDF. After you have become comfortable with the triads, then start incorporating a half step below each of the triads.

In this example it will outline a B major scale. Once you are ready to incorporate the ‘lick’ into a jazz solo keep in mind that you do not have to start the lick at the beginning of the scale, as I have demonstrated in my playing. Experiment taking one pattern, and starting the lick in different spots to hear how it fits within the chord you are playing over.

I have found in my playing that it can be a flashy attention grabber if played at a burning tempo. Start off slow and continue to build up speed, and as always, have fun with it.

This lick is a very interchangeable Jazz lick incorporating chromaticism while outlining the whole tone scale. This lick works very well over dominant chords as well as augmented chords.

Here is a sound sample played on trumpet over the tune Triste:

How to memorize this Jazz pattern in 12 keys:

Start by practicing the lick starting on C and then C#, whole tone, so you only need to learn the pattern in 2 sequences if you think about it. Once that becomes comfortable then try starting the lick on D, and then on D# etc, etc. The key is to become comfortable enough with the lick so you can go ‘out of the bubble’ so to speak, as long as you land on a chord tone.

If you look closely at this pattern, you’ll notice seeing a descending whole tone scale, do you see it? This should help make the pattern easier to remember in all 12 keys.