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This list is built on a compilation put together by my dear friend, the late-great Danny Miller. Dan was a master pedagogue and jazz trumpet virtuoso who had an encyclopedic knowledge of the recorded jazz canon. (I've added a couple of my favorites as well, and by nature this list will expand over time) On his site, these were all MP3s. Wherever possible, I have made them links to videos or MP3 videos so that you can hear and see how these were played and learn about the albums they come from, who played the head and how they improvised on the tune!
While these are free to listen to in their entirety on YouTube, I HIGHLY recommend that you PURCHASE the complete album that these tunes are from. In this way, you support the artists, their families, or estates, you learn more about the music, and your record collection (your personal treasure chest for improvisation) will grow and improve.
HEY, you will also become the coolest trombonist on your block!!
As Danny implored:
**Learn these heads by ear and internalize them**
And I will add:
The original keys are listed, however:
Learn them in multiple keys!
Now's The Time (F)
Tenor Madness (B-flat)
Hugore (B-flat)
Straight, No Chaser (F)
KD's Blues (B-flat)
Sonnymoon For Two (B-flat)
Cool Blues (C)
Barbados (B-flat)
Buzzy (B-flat)
Blues Walk (B-flat)
Blues on The Corner (B-Flat)
Cheryl (C)
Byrdlike (F)
Walkin' (F)
Au Privave (F)
Relaxin' at Camarillo (C)
Bloomdido (B-flat))
Sandu (E-flat)
Mohawk (B-flat)
Another Hairdo (B-flat)
Visa (C)
Chi Chi (A-flat)
Solid (B-flat)
Vierd Blues or Trane's Blues (B-flat)
Blue and Boogie (B-flat)
Perhaps (C)
Blue Seven (B-flat)
Blues for Alice (F Bird Blues)
Laird Baird (B-flat Bird Blues)
Sho' Nuff Did (F)
Billie's Bounce (F)
Freddie the Freeloader (B-flat)
Soft Winds (B-flat)
Si Si (F)
Bongo Bop (B-flat)
Sippin' At Bell's (F)
Opus De Funk (F)
Blue Train (E-flat)
Hubtones (B-flat)
Speedball (D-flat)
Down (F)
Wee Dot (B-flat)
Dance of the Infidels (Bud Powell Changes) (F)
Misterioso (F)
Blue Monk (B-flat) Messenger's Version
The Squirrel (F)
Birk's Works (B-Flat minor)
The Blues March (B-flat))
Wheatleigh Hall (B-flat)
Two Bass Hit (D-flat)
Blues in Hoss' Flat (Db)
The Skunk (D-flat)
Blue Concept (B-flat)
Blue Bird (E-flat)
Things Ain't What They Used To Be (Bb or F...All Keys!)
Passport (Tune Y) (B-flat)
Bongo Beep (C)
Bird Feathers (B-Flat)
The Hymn (B-flat) Melody begins at 0:36
Carvin' The Bird (E-Flat)
Driftin' On A Reed or Air Conditioning (B-flat)
Bag's Groove (F)
Mr. PC (C minor)
My Blues (B-Flat)
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