Three

J.J. Johnson Phrases

There is so much to learn from J. J.'s playing, and transcribing his solos is a great way to
develop your own jazz language.
Here I have selected three of his phrases - I suggest memorizing them as quickly as possible
and use the sheet music as a way to get started (or to be reminded).

I have written out suggestions for slide positions, try them out and see what you think!
Some of them might seem awkward at rst, but alternative positions are so useful.

The phrases don't have articulations written out. If you're new to reading jazz, the phrases
are meant to played like this:

All eight notes are played with a swing feel.

       
           

If no articulation is written out, you play eight notes legato and quarter notes short.

        
    
 

Longer notes are usually slightly separated.

 
                 


Feel free to play the phrases in any order you like (start in your most comfortable register)
and at your own pace. Good luck! /Daniel
 Triad Trick

    
         
F major

     
4 6 6 5 6 6 4 1 2 4 6

     
Gb major

        
     

4 5 5 4 5 5 3 5 1 3 5

    
    
G major

        

2 4 4 3 4 4 2 4 7 7 4

        
Ab major

         

1 3 3 2 3 3 1 3 6 6 3

    
A major

           
  
#3 2 2 1 2 2 4 6 5 5 3

       
Bb major

          

#2 1 1 3 1 1 3 5 4 4 1
 3

    
B major
  
            
3 #3 4 2 3 5 5 4 3 3 5

    
  
C major

          

2 #2 3 1 2 4 4 3 2 2 4

    
Db major

     
         
3 3 2 #3 1 3 3 2 1 1 3

    
  
D major

    
      
2 2 1 #2 #3 2 2 4 5 4 2

        
Eb major

   
      
3 3 3 3 #2 1 1 3 4 3 1

    
E major
    
         
2 2 2 2 3 4 #3 2 3 2 4
 Bebop Doozy

B  m7 
    E7   
       

6 5 6 3 3 3 2 3 3 1 3 4

         
     
Bm7 E7


5 4 5 6 5 #5 4 2 2 4 2 3

    F7   
 
Cm7
    
 
4 3 4 5 4 #4 3 1 1 3 1 2

        
     
Cm7 F7

 
3 2 3 4 3 #3 2 4 3 2 4 5

       
     

Dm7 G7

 
2 1 2 3 2 #2 1 3 2 1 3 4

    A 7   
     

E m7

 
6 5 5 5 #4 3 #3 2 1 3 2 3
 5

    A7    
    

Em7

 
5 4 4 4 #3 2 #2 1 #3 2 1 2

    B7   
   
  
Fm7

 
4 3 3 3 #2 3 3 3 #2 1 3 4

    
        

Fm7 B7

 
3 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 4 #3 2 3

       
   
 
Gm7 C7

 

2 1 1 1 2 3 3 1 2 #2 1 2

    D7   
    
 
A  m7

 

5 4 3 #3 3 2 2 #3 3 3 #3 #4

        
  
 
Am7 D7

 

4 3 2 #2 2 #3 3 #2 2 2 #2 #3
 Turnaround Treat

        
       
D maj7 B  m7 E m7 A 7 Fm7 B 7 E m7 A 7
 

3 5 5 3 1 3 1 3 5 6 6 5 3

    
           
Dmaj7 Bm7 Em7 A7 Fm7 B7 Em7 A7


2 4 4 2 4 5 4 2 4 5 5 4 2

         
   
E maj7 Cm7 Fm7 B 7 Gm7 C7 Fm7 B 7
  

1 3 3 1 3 4 3 1 3 4 4 3 1

 m7           

    
Emaj7 C Fm7 B7 Gm7 C7 Fm7 B7
 

4 2 2 4 2 3 2 4 2 3 3 5 5

        
     
Fmaj7 Dm7 Gm7 C7 Am7 D7 Gm7 C7

  
3 1 1 3 4 #5 4 3 1 2 2 4 4

    
        
G maj7 E m7 A  m7 D7 B  m7 E7 A  m7 D7

   

2 #3 4 2 3 #4 3 2 4 5 5 3 3
 7

         
    
Gmaj7 Em7 Am7 D7 Bm7 E7 Am7 D7

  
1 #2 3 1 2 #3 2 1 3 4 4 2 2

           
 
A  maj7 Fm7 B  m7 E7 Cm7 F7 B  m7 E7

 
  
3 3 2 3 #4 4 #4 3 2 3 3 1 1

 m7        
     
Amaj7 F Bm7 E7 Cm7 F7 Bm7 E7

   
2 2 1 2 #3 3 #3 2 1 2 2 #3 4

         
 
B  maj7 Gm7 Cm7 F7 Dm7 G7 Cm7 F7

  
  
1 1 3 1 #2 2 #2 1 3 4 4 4 3

 m7    
         
Bmaj7 G Cm7 F7 Dm7 G7 Cm7 F7

   
#3 2 2 #3 3 3 3 #3 2 3 3 3 2

Cmaj7 Am7
            
Dm7 G7 Em7 A7 Dm7 G7

   
#2 1 1 #2 2 2 2 #2 1 2 2 2 1