lick

In jazz, The Lick is a lick (stock musical phrase) regarded as "the most famous jazz cliche ever". It has been popularised as it is easily adaptable into all keys and modes and is heard in many famous pieces, including many non-jazz pieces. It has been seen in adverts, such as in an "Injury Lawyers for You" advert and in the music on TV programmes, such as The Late Show. The Lick is now usually used for comedic effect, as it has become such a cliche that musicians tend to only see it as an inside joke, so unironic performances are rare. The Lick is usually played over a ii°-V-i (minor-key) chord progression.

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