Herbie’s Minor Third Lick from “Dolphin Dance” (LOTW #178)

Learn Herbie's Minor Third Lick from "Dolphin Dance"

Herbie Hancock is known as one of the great innovators of jazz piano. In honor of his 80th birthday last week, we’ve got a lick this week from his iconic record “Maiden Voyage” (1965). He introduces his solo with this ascending minor third idea on what would become a jazz standard tune of his, “Dolphin […]

Keith Jarrett Opens His Solo with this Genius Pattern (LOTW #176)

Keith Jarrett Opens his solo with this genius pattern

We all know Keith Jarrett as one of the greats, but did you know he was a child prodigy? By age 7, he was already performing major works by composers such as Bach, Beethoven and Chopin. As an adult pianist and improviser, he now performs entire concerts completely extemporaneously. In one of his iconic jazz […]

Bill Evans Swings this Opening Melodic Sequence from “Waltz for Debby” (LOTW #175)

Bill Evans swings this opening melodic sequence

On one of his most iconic trio tunes,”Waltz for Debby,” Bill Evans takes a left turn from the ordinary waltz and goes into 4/4 meter after the first chorus! Check out this week’s lick as Bill opens his solo with a beautiful melodic sequence, demonstrating quintessential characteristics of his own style improvisation. The rest of […]

Bud Powell Shows How It’s Done on “Parisian Thoroughfare” (LOTW #174)

Watch as Bud Powell Shows How Its Done on "Parisian Thoroughfare"

Bud Powell was the originator of Bebop piano playing. Watch as he shows how he masterfully plays changes in this excerpt from his trademark tune, “Parisian Thoroughfare.” CLICK HERE TO GET A TRANSCRIPTION OF THE LICK If you have questions or suggestions for a Lick Of The Week you would like us to do, please […]

Cedar Walton “Clockwise” Riff (LOTW #173)

Learn Cedar Walton's "Clockwise" Riff

Check out the opening riff from Cedar Walton’s renowned composition,”Clockwise.” After ascending up an E major triad, he goes back down by way of a C major seventh sound. Dig this, and develop your own compositional ideas! CLICK HERE TO GET A TRANSCRIPTION OF THE LICK If you have questions or suggestions for a Lick […]

Oscar Plays the Blues On “Love For Sale” (LOTW #172)

Learn how Oscar Plays the Blues on "Love for Sale"

We love Oscar Peterson for his ability to play beautiful lines over chord changes, but most of all for his bluesy solo ideas! Check out this passage from “Love For Sale” off of the album Oscar Peterson Plays the Cole Porter Songbook, it ain’t nothin’ but the blues!! CLICK HERE TO GET A TRANSCRIPTION OF […]

A Swinging Solo Break by Red Garland on “A Foggy Day” (LOTW #171)

Here is Red Garland’s solo break from a classic album of his, “A Garland of Red” (1957). There is some quintessential playing from Red on this record that is definitely worth checking out! https://youtu.be/9O5UwrR2Nt4 CLICK HERE TO GET A TRANSCRIPTION OF THE LICK If you have questions or suggestions for a Lick Of The Week […]

Gerald Clayton Plays it Cool on Strasbourg St. Denis (LOTW #170)

learn how Gerald Clayton plays it cool on Strasbourg St. Denis

Gerald Clayton lays down possibly one of the most grooving solos of all time over Roy Hargrove’s jam tune “Strasbourg St. Denis.” At the end of several choruses of pure groove, he plays it cool with a line which sidesteps its way outside of the changes. Follow along with the notation to see how he […]

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