Easy Funk Play-Along: Trombone Book & Online Audio

Harlow strikes the right balance between accessible and authentic funk writing. Beginning improvisers get real jazz vocabulary (pentatonic scales and written solos) without overwhelming complexity, and the flexibility to combine parts across your section or ensemble means you can use this whether you're teaching one trombonist or a small group.

Groovy and instantly rewarding. The riffs sit comfortably in the beginner's range, and the funk rhythms catch the ear immediately. Playing along with polished Boston Horns recordings gives even developing players the feeling of performing in a real ensemble.

Beginning trombonists ready to explore jazz and funk idioms beyond classical or concert band repertoire. This works equally well for a student working solo with accompaniment tracks or for a small ensemble combining multiple brass and rhythm-section parts.

• Lock the rhythmic feel by listening to the play-along track several times before attempting the melody. Funk demands precision in the pocket, not speed.
• When learning a solo, memorize the pentatonic scale provided for that piece first. Sing it aloud so your ear internalizes the available pitches before you play.
• Experiment with the written solo on the play-along track, then try the same changes without the recording to build independence.
• If combining parts with other instruments, have the rhythm section (guitar, piano, bass, drums) establish the groove solidly before layering brass melodies.

Slot these pieces into a jazz band or ensemble concert to introduce or showcase early improvisation work. The standalone tracks also work as supplementary material throughout the year for students who want to explore jazz vocabulary in parallel with their band or orchestra studies.

• Reading and performing funk grooves and rhythmic hits
• Pentatonic scale application in improvisation
• Soloing over changes using a written solo as a scaffold
• Listening and responding to a live or recorded rhythm section
• Phrasing and articulation in a jazz idiom