Curtis Fuller Mini Course: Breaking Down His “Soon” Solo

Today we’re digging into a Curtis Fuller classic — his beautiful trombone solo on “Soon.” You’ve already heard him play it, so now let’s take it apart, phrase by phrase, and figure out how to get closer to that warm, lyrical, and oh-so-Curtis sound.

Right from the top, Curtis sets the tone with his warm, enveloping sound — like a musical hug. Listen for those short, accented notes, soft triple-tongue articulations, and that unmistakable vibrato on long tones. It’s all part of what makes his playing instantly recognizable.

Capturing Curtis’s Articulation
One of the biggest takeaways here is his unexpected mix of long and short notes. Curtis will clip a downbeat short, then stretch into a long, singing note with vibrato. He’s constantly playing with this balance — and it’s what makes the solo swing.

Mark your accents carefully. Downbeat accents set up the upbeats, giving the lines momentum. Even a simple quarter-note run can feel alive if each note is slightly separated and buoyant rather than flat and mechanical.

Playing Through the Barline
Curtis doesn’t just play in neat, four-bar boxes. In one great example starting around bar 13, he spins a phrase that begins two bars before the top and flows two bars after — a perfect case of “playing through the a perfect case of “playing through the barline.” Instead of treating each measure like a fence, Curtis connects his ideas so they flow over the form. This makes the solo feel conversational rather than chopped up — something all improvisers can work toward.

Chromatic Runs and Tonguing
Around bar 17, he uses soft triple- or double-tonguing on a smooth chromatic passage. This is where practicing your chromatic scales pays off. Keep them even, clean, and light — Curtis makes these runs feel effortless, and that smoothness is part of his charm.

Repeated Notes and Rhythmic Variety
Curtis often repeats a single pitch to build momentum, then breaks it up with an unexpected grouping — sometimes in twos, sometimes in threes. The result? You never hear constant eighth notes for long. Instead, the rhythmic variety keeps you hooked.

Low Range and Melodic Quoting
One of my favorite moments is when Curtis dips into the low range and slips in a nod to the melody of “Soon.” It’s a reminder that he’s improvising on the song, not just the chord changes — a concept I emphasize with my own students all the time.

Accents, Feel, and Swing
From the opening phrase to the Curtis-style ending, articulation is what brings this solo to life. Think of it this way: the notes are what you play, but articulation is how you play it. Curtis’s swing feel comes from those accents, the balance of long and short, and the way his vibrato shapes the end of a phrase.