Playing Through the Blues: Trumpet Edition (B-flat): Trumpet Book & CD

Lipsius understands what intermediate players actually need: melodic lines that sound sophisticated without requiring advanced chops, and a realistic entry point into jazz soloing that doesn't overwhelm. The accompanying play-along tracks give students immediate context for their reading, transforming what could be a dry etude book into something that feels like sitting in with a band.

Accessible and swinging. The melodic writing feels natural to the trumpet without sounding overly simplified, and the range of styles keeps the music from becoming formulaic. There's a real sense of discovery as you move through each track, finding new rhythmic and harmonic textures within the blues framework.

Intermediate trumpet players ready to move beyond classical technique into the expressive, conversational language of jazz. This book works equally well for ensemble study or individual practice, making it useful for band programs introducing jazz concepts or private students looking to explore blues soloing.

• Start with the listening tracks before attempting the play-alongs. Hearing how each line sits in its musical context will clarify phrasing and articulation choices that notation alone won't convey.
• Practice the written lines first to nail the melody, then use the play-along to build your comfort soloing over the changes. The progression becomes muscle memory through repetition.
• Pay attention to the variety of feels across the twelve tracks. Each one demonstrates different aspects of blues playing, so treating them as mini-lessons in style rather than a single unit will deepen your understanding.
• Record yourself improvising over the play-alongs and listen back critically. You'll hear rhythmic phrasing and harmonic choices much more clearly than in real-time performance.

Use this in the second half of the year when your trumpet section has solid fundamentals in place. It pairs well with jazz history units and gives players concrete experience with swing, funk, and traditional blues feels. For sectional rehearsals, assign different tracks to different players and rotate through, creating an informal combo setting where students learn by playing together.

• Reading jazz melodic lines with accurate articulation and phrasing
• Understanding blues harmonic progressions and chord-scale relationships
• Improvising over repeating changes in multiple feels (straight, shuffle, swing)
• Interpreting swing rhythm and shuffle subdivisions in practice and performance
• Building comfort with call-and-response phrasing in a blues context