FREDDIE HUBBARD’S SOLO ON BIRDLIKE Jazz Tactics #13

Freddie Hubbard’s 19-chorus solo on his blues Birdlike is a tour de force that has been transcribed by many aspiring jazz trumpet players. In this video, the third in a sequence on solo transcription, I envision what it might have been like to trade choruses with one of the greatest trumpet players of all time (who was in his early 20s at the time of this recording). While there is little doubt who would have the upper hand in this situation, the listener is invited to assess the relative merits of me playing transcribed and memorized choruses from the original solo compared to choruses of my own in which I try to retain the spirit of Freddie’s solo without playing his notes. The video delves into the question of whether solo transcription might turn one into a copycat or suppress individuality, and suggests ways in which you can extract additional benefit from the solos you transcribe. (As an aside, it’s a bit bizarre to see myself playing left-handed…) ABOUT THIS SERIES The Jazz Tactics s