Inside Mulgrew Miller’s Solo: You Stepped Out of a Dream
A great solo can teach us many things (on many levels) about the way we improvise – from simply finding the “right notes” that fit a progression, to the finer points of phrasing and musicality. And the solos of the great pianist Mulgrew Miller are no exception… His playing encompasses the tradition, the vocabulary, and ...
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The Jazz Trumpet Solos Collection: 16 Transcriptions (PDF)
In the jazz lineage, there are certain solos on every instrument that stick out and withstand the test of time. Landmark moments of improvisation that serve as a guiding light for any musician striving to learn the language and find their musical voice… And the world of jazz trumpet is no exception – from the ...
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6 Roy Hargrove Minor Exercises on What Is This Thing Called Love
When you start to transcribe and discover what your musical heroes are doing, you begin to open up a whole new understanding about how to improvise and approach chord changes. But then the problem soon becomes, how do you take this understanding and put it into your musical practice? In other words, transcribing is great ...
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Tune Up – 3 Legendary Solos
Tune Up is one of those classic up-tempo jazz standards that every player should work on. Composed by Eddie Vinson, It became super well known when legendary trumpeter player Miles Davis recorded it on his 1956 album Blue Haze. And over the years, it’s turned into a popular jam session tune that can be pretty ...
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Joe Henderson Plays Recorda Me
Recorda Me is one of Joe Henderson’s most famous compositions. Recorded on his epic album Page One from 1963, he actually composed the popular jazz standard when he was only 15. And over the years, it’s become a mainstay in jazz education and jam sessions alike, making it a need-to-know tune to add to your ...
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The Sonny Rollins II-V Workbook: 8 Exercises from Pent-Up House [PDF]
Sonny Rollins is one of those rare musical masters that seems to have it all figured out when it comes to improvisation. And if you’re a musician that’s been searching for the missing answers to improve your solos on the jazz repertoire, he’s the perfect player to study. …especially if you’re trying to develop your ...
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The Sonny Stitt Playbook – His 2 Exercises to Master Minor
What if you had Sonny Stitt’s practice journal in your hands right now? All his genius lines and exercises written out. Everything, literally everything, complete with diagrams and descriptions of what he practiced…wouldn’t that be nice? Well, unfortunately, unless he’s your relative, chances are this will never be the case. You’ll never have those practice ...
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Charlie Parker’s Brilliant Licks and Tricks on I Remember You
With its unique opening chord changes, the jazz standard I Remember You poses quite the challenge to most jazz improvisers, which is surprising because the chords themselves don’t seem that difficult. But it’s not the individual chords that create the problem…It’s the way one chord moves to the next chord… We’re simply not used to ...
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A Lesson With Chet Baker: But Not For Me
What if there were a jazz musician that didn’t rely on scales, licks, or patterns, but instead sought only to play what they’d sing? What would this musician sound like? What kind of playing techniques would they use and how would they approach taking a solo? This kind of musician is what I hear when ...
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How to Beat the “I Don’t Know What to Play” Syndrome in Your Solos
You’re staring at a chord progression on a lead sheet. Thinking through the first few bars of a jazz standard. You’re getting ready to start your solo and carefully choosing the first phrase you’ll play… It’s finally time to show off the stuff you’ve been working on. Time to create music on the spot instead ...
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What Most Players Are Missing When They Transcribe Solos…
The typical jazz transcription process usually goes something like this…you start with a solo, you listen to the recording a few times, maybe even slowing it down a bit, then you figure out the notes and carefully write them down, practicing each line until you’ve got it memorized. After a few hours or maybe a ...
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8 Awesome Blues Solos for Beginners to Transcribe
If you want to learn the language of jazz, then transcribing a blues solo should be at the top of your list! But if you’re just starting to transcribe jazz solos, the task might seem daunting or way over your head. In fact many beginners who want to play jazz completely shy away from transcribing ...
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