How to Play Cherokee like a Pro: 24 Melodic Tricks for Insanely Fast Tempos

By Eric • Jazz Standards • PRO • Advanced • Bebop • Charlie Parker • Clifford Brown • Sonny Stitt • Stan Getz

Have you ever wondered how the best players can play incredibly fast, regardless of the key, the chords, or the tune? I’m not just talking about running memorized licks and technical patterns…I mean soloing at breakneck speed with actual melodic lines over the progression.

1. Introduction
2. Why Cherokee?
3. The A Section
4. Charlie Parker on Cherokee
5. Charlie Parker on Ko Ko
6. Clifford Brown
7. Sonny Stitt
8. Major to Parallel Minor Technique
9. Stan Getz
10. Wynton Kelly
11. Tom Harrell
12. Chris Potter
13. Bridge Techniques
14. Time to Speed Things Up
15. Want More Techniques Like These?

Top Tunes This Lesson Applies To:

Cherokee

Trying to improvise on uptempo tunes can be frustrating and the truth is, you hear more than a few players faking it. Unfortunately, most resources leave you with more questions than answers…

But this doesn’t mean that there aren’t specific techniques to practice that will teach you the skills you need. If you’ve been stuck wondering how to create long melodic lines, improvise at fast tempos or create double-time passages you’ve come to the right place…

Today we’re going to show you 24 improvisation techniques to create melodic lines at fast tempos – taken directly from the solos of the music’s greatest improvisers.

While there are dozens of factors that go into improvising at fast tempos, today we’re going to put these solos under a microscope for one reason – To understand how to create long melodic lines at very fast tempos.

And to do this, we’re going to take one of the most well-known standards in the jazz repertoire: Cherokee.

**Why Cherokee?**

Composed by Ray Nobel in 1938, Cherokee has been played by nearly every important jazz musician to pick up an instrument and is famously noted as the musical vehicle that sparked Charlie Parker’s harmonic revelation about bebop.

Chances are, you’ve played this tune. And if not, rest assured that you’ll encounter it in jam sessions, private lessons, and your study of improvisation.

Cherokee, along with a few other standards, is a rite of passage for any serious player…

A perfect template for approaching the skill of creating melodic lines, Cherokee’s 64 bars hold the basic chords that are in every tune: Major, V7, and minor and ii-V’s that quickly switch keys – in essence the key elements that you need to become a successful improviser.

Today we’ll look at 8 landmark solos that have defined this chord progression, solos by:

Charlie Parker
Clifford Brown
Sonny Stitt
Stan Getz
Wynton Kelly
Tom Harrell
Chris Potter

Rather than looking to steal single licks, it’s more important to uncover how these players mentally approached these chords and progressions – What were they thinking about and what concepts did they apply?

Once you discover this, you’ll have the power to use these techniques in any solo that you play.

Hey, Sorry to Interrupt...

I know you were just getting into this lesson, but this one’s reserved for Jazzadvice PRO members.

Already a PRO member? Log in below to keep reading.

Ready to Take Your Playing Further?

If you want to go deeper into this approach and build a complete understanding of the music, this is exactly what we build on inside Jazzadvice PRO.

PRO gives you access to:

Our 5 core courses covering ear training, harmony, and improvisation
In-depth lessons breaking down tunes, solos, and real musical concepts
Clear paths to connect ideas across tunes and develop your playing

Explore Jazzadvice PRO

Join thousands of musicians using Jazzadvice to practice with clarity and direction.

So here’s the deal…

We’re not some big company. We’re just two guys — Forrest & Eric — who’ve spent years pouring everything we know about jazz into this site.

Thousands of musicians have learned from Jazzadvice, but here’s the truth:
Jazzadvice has almost shut down more than once. Creating this kind of material takes time, energy, and everything we’ve got.

That’s why we built Jazzadvice PRO — to give aspiring improvisers the best jazz improvisation material on the planet, while keeping the site alive for years to come.

So if Jazzadvice has ever helped you break through a plateau, find new motivation, or rediscover why you love playing, consider joining PRO to give back, while taking your own playing to the next level.

Jazzadvice PRO

Get complete access to our lessons, courses, and future content.

$10

/ month

Billed Yearly

Unlock PRO Lessons

Unlock PRO Jazz Courses

Unlock All Future Content

Join Jazzadvice PRO

Join thousands of musicians learning jazz with Jazzadvice PRO

What makes Jazzadvice PRO
such a good deal?

Each of our full-length Jazzadvice Courses is available individually for $229, and for good reason — they’re complete programs built to transform how you hear, understand, and play jazz.

And with Jazzadvice PRO you get all five courses, every PRO lesson, and everything new we release for just $10/month.

That’s over $1,000 worth of material included with Jazzadvice PRO.

Included With Jazzadvice PRO

Jazz Theory Unlocked

Ear Training Method

Melodic Power

Jazz Visualization Course

Reprogramming the Musical Mind

Full Library of PRO Lessons

Access to all Future Content

Individual Price

$229

$229

$229

$229

$229

$108/year

Included

TOTAL VALUE: Over $1,000
YOUR PRICE: Just $10/month (billed yearly)

Thousands of musicians paid full price for these courses and lessons, and for good reason. The material works. It helps players make real, lasting progress.

Jazzadvice PRO gives you everything for one low price — lessons, courses, and every new release — so you can stop piecing things together and start focusing on what really matters: becoming the player you want to be.

All Member-Only Lessons

Every lesson like the one you were just reading is part of a larger collection — deep dives on the real skills that matter: improvisation, harmony, ear training, and the practice habits that separate great players from the rest.

Tons of focused, member-only lessons that go far beyond what we can share publicly
Downloadable workbooks and exercises to quickly turn deep concepts into real skills.
Fresh new lessons added regularly to keep your practice inspired

All 5 Fundamental Courses

Jazzadvice Fundamental Courses

When you’re ready to go deeper, Jazzadvice PRO gives you the full picture. Five complete courses that will take your skills to new heights:

The Ear Training Method - Hear harmony like a pro.

Melodic Power – shape lines with clarity, direction, and intent.

Jazz Theory Unlocked – Unravel the logic behind any tune.

Reprogramm the Musical Mind – upgrade your habits & mindset.

Visualization for Jazz – build mental fluency to play with freedom.

Everything New We Create

Jazzadvice keeps growing — and when you’re a Jazzadvice PRO member, you grow with it. That means every new lesson, every new course, and every new tool we build automatically becomes part of your membership.

No upgrades. No extra cost. Just an ever-expanding library designed to help you keep improving.

And here's the truth...

Every musician hits a point where progress stalls, where you feel stuck, repeating the same ideas and not sure how to move forward. That’s the moment most people drift away.

But you don’t have to. You found Jazzadvice for a reason — because you have a true desire to take your playing to the next level. And everything we’ve built inside PRO is designed to help you keep that momentum going, to keep you inspired and play with confidence.

So if these lessons have sparked something in you — even just a glimpse of what’s possible, don’t let it fade. Join Jazzadvice PRO, keep learning, and see how far you can really go.

Jazzadvice PRO

Get complete access to our lessons, courses, and future content.

$10

/ month

Billed Yearly

Unlock PRO Lessons

Unlock PRO Jazz Courses

Unlock All Future Content

Join Jazzadvice PRO

Join thousands of musicians learning jazz with Jazzadvice PRO

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What payment methods do you accept?
A: You can easily pay by credit card or PayPal.

Q: How do I access my content?
A: After checkout, simply log in to your Jazzadvice account. From your Dashboard you’ll instantly see everything included with Jazzadvice PRO or any individual Course you’ve purchased. Everything is online — no shipping, no waiting.

Q: Will my PRO Membership renew automatically?
A: Yes. Your membership will renew automatically. You can manage or cancel anytime directly from your account. One-time Course purchases do not renew. For full details, please see our PRO Membership Terms.

Q: What is Jazzadvice PRO?
A: Jazzadvice PRO is our complete membership. It includes all PRO Lessons, all PRO Courses, and all future content we release.

Q: What format is the material in?
A: All content is 100% online. Courses may include streamable video, written materials, and audio exercises. PRO Lessons often include downloadable PDFs or practice guides. Nothing is shipped.

Q: What if I’ve purchased a Course in the past?
A: You’ll always keep access to what you’ve purchased. Jazzadvice PRO simply goes further by giving you access to all PRO Courses, all PRO Lessons, and future member-only content in one membership.

Q: How do I cancel my membership?
A: You can manage or cancel your membership any time from your Account Settings on your Dashboard. When you cancel, your access continues until the end of your current annual membership term.

Q: Who is this for?
A: Jazzadvice PRO is for musicians who want to build a real foundation, study deeply, and apply what they learn. It’s not for total beginners, but if you know basic scales, chords, and progressions, you’ll benefit whether you’re an experienced beginner, intermediate, or advanced player.

Q: Will this work for my level?
A: Yes — as long as you’re not a complete beginner. If you’re just starting out but already know the basics, our Courses and Lessons will give you the structure and clarity to move forward faster. And if you’re intermediate or advanced, they will fill in the gaps, reframe what you already know, and help push your playing to a deeper level.

Q: Do I need to read music?
A: Lessons often use notation, scale numbers, and chord symbols, but you don’t need to be an advanced reader. A basic familiarity with major and minor scales, chords, and simple notation is enough to get started.

Q: I’m not a jazz musician. Will I still benefit?
A: Absolutely. The ability to hear, understand, and use the language of music isn’t limited to jazz. Whether you play classical, rock, folk, or any other style, the skills you’ll build in Jazzadvice PRO will make you a better musician.

Q: Which course should I start with?
A: You can begin with any of the 5 PRO Courses — they’re designed to complement each other. If you’re unsure, start with the area where you feel weakest, or follow our suggested sequence on the site for a clear roadmap.

Q: What is Premium Legacy?
A: Premium Legacy, briefly called PRO Basic, is our retired lesson-library membership for longtime members. It includes access to PRO Lessons, but does not include access to PRO Courses. Premium Legacy is no longer available for new members.

Q: If I already purchased a Course or have a Premium Legacy membership, do I get a discount or credit toward Jazzadvice PRO?
A: Previous Course purchases and legacy memberships remain in your account, but they do not automatically transfer as credit toward Jazzadvice PRO. If you have a specific question about your account, contact us and we’ll be happy to take a look.

Q: Is there a money-back guarantee or refund if I don’t like it?
A: No. We don’t offer refunds. Our lessons and courses are the result of years of work and require consistent effort. If you’re committed to improving and practicing, you’ll get enormous value from your purchase.

Q: Can I share my Membership, Course, or PRO Lessons?
A: No. Access is licensed to the one person who purchases it. Sharing or redistributing any content is not allowed and will result in revoked access without refund.

Q: I’m a teacher. Can I use PRO content or Course content in the classroom?
A: No. PRO memberships, Courses, and PRO Lessons (formerly Premium Lessons) are licensed for one user only. Please respect our copyrights and direct your students to purchase their own access.

Q: What instruments is Jazzadvice PRO for?
A: All instruments. Lessons and courses are designed to apply universally, because every musician needs these skills.

We're here to help...

If you have any questions we're more than happy to answer them.