Pick Up The Pieces by Average White Band is a frequently requested funk tune that you can easily add to your trumpet repertoire. This is a well known recording so the trumpet part should match what can be heard there unless your band is working an arrangement that specifically calls for something different (rarely the case with this tune).
The song opens with four bars of rest for the horns while the rhythm section lays down the groove for the first time. Listen carefully and you will hear 4/4 time throughout and a strong pulse on beats two and four. At mm. 5, be ready to hit a strong downbeat and remember keep the last note of each phrase short, as marked.
At mm. 39, you should be ready to play well articulated notes with accuracy and pleasant tone. The key is to play these licks lightly and with an effort to match the other horn players. On the fourth beat of mm. 41, be ready to grab the upper octave with a full relaxed breath leading into mm. 42.
Here’s a clip from a recent recording session with Boogie Boulevard from Renton, WA.