How to embellish a melody - Jazz improvisation

Playing the head of a tune is important.  The melody is its identity.  Once you really know the melody of a tune, you can manipulate it... to either make it more interesting as a melody OR to create an improvised solo!  The further you stray from the melody line, the more it'll become an improvised solo.  I'd always recommend knowing the chords/harmony of a tune but if you don't, or they're a little hazy, knowing the melody well can help!
For practice, use the following steps (I kind of abandoned these in the video!?! - sorry):
1) Learn the melody!
2) Embellish the RHYTHM only.
3) Embellish the NOTES using next-door notes.
4) Use the diatonic scales to make your lines more linear (keep the melody in mind).
5) Use some vocabulary in places that fit (eg blues scale licks).

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