Getting to the next level as an improviser means moving beyond the basics of chords and scales. Specifically, it’s all about focusing on the harmonic relationships in the jazz repertoire – what we call jazz chord progressions.
You see, there are a finite set of harmonic relationships that pop up in the majority of popular jazz standards that are played today…
And one part of improving your ability to improvise is understanding how these chords function in a jazz context, hearing these chord relationships in tunes, and knowing exactly why they work.
Mastering chord progressions makes learning tunes easier & more enjoyable and allows you to conceptualize the larger harmonic function of any song – ultimately creating a pathway to improvising that gets beyond individual notes and chords.
Remember, you don’t have to start over with each new tune you learn. If you’ve ingrained a few important chord relationships and have some language for navigating them, it’s all about recognition and creating the music you hear.
Improvement here means knowing exactly what to practice and slowly mastering each harmonic step along the way…
10 Jazz Chord Progressions
Below we’ll highlight ten essential jazz chord progressions and point you to a more in-depth lesson on each relationship, so you can build a better understanding and develop techniques for your own solos.
Here are the progressions every musician should know…
1) the i chord to the IV
One of the most common chord relationships in functional harmony and the jazz repertoire is the I chord moving to the IV chord – a feature of the Blues, Cherokee, Rhythm Changes, and countless other tunes.
If you think about the common arrival points in any key, the first destination after the tonic is often the IV chord.
Being able to visualize the IV chord in each key and knowing how to get there is extremely useful for any musician. In fact, mastering this relationship will open up endless creative options when it comes to playing the jazz repertoire.
Learn more here: Mastering Essential Chord Progressions: I to IV
2) V7 resolving to I
If you had to pick the defining chord relationship in any tune, key, or progression, it would be V7 resolving to I.
In fact, the main source of harmonic movement in the majority of jazz standards (from Autumn Leaves to Giant Steps) can be traced back to some sort of dominant chord resolving to a related I chord.
Therefore, it’s crucial that you not only can identify this movement by ear, but also have musical tools to navigate it.
The dominant to tonic relationship encompasses a world of sounds and harmonic possibility and can be traveled in many ways from V7 alterations to substitutions to diminished devices…
Learn more: How to Play V7 to I Like a Pro: 5 Options from the Masters
3) II7 dominant or V7 of V
The II7 chord or V7 of V is related to cycle movement, a dominant chord resolving to the next dominant chord in the circle, like you find in the bridge of Rhythm Changes.
In a major key, the dominant chord preceding the natural V7 is the II7 chord:
The dominant II7 chord pops up in many standards, often before the final ii-V-I as you hear in Cherokee, or sometimes at the start of the progression in tunes like If I Were A Bell or But Not For Me…
Learn more: 4 Sonny Rollins Tools to Tackle the V7 of V7
4) Major to Parallel Minor (premium)
Another important jazz chord progression to know is major moving to parallel minor. You’ll hear this movement in tunes like Ornithology, I’ll Remember April, or On Green Dolphin Street.
Here, the root stays the same, but the quality of the chord changes – the major I chord moves in a parallel fashion to a minor i chord:
Moving from major to minor is a distinctive sound that is a fundamental part of the repertoire, and one that you should be comfortable playing.
Learn more: Master Essential Chord Progressions – Major to Parallel Minor
5) The ii-V-I Progression (premium)
The most practiced jazz chord progression is probably the infamous ii-V-I…
An entire musical story encapsulated into one harmonic sequence. However, this important progression often gets reduced to music theory and scales, leading to some pretty cliche phrases.
Navigating ii-V’s requires minor language, ii to V resolution, dominant techniques, the previously mentioned V7 to I resolution, and major language.
It’s all in here – build your skills with this progression and you’ll have tools for any jazz standard…
Learn more here: How to Master the ii-V-I Progression – 25 Essential Lines
6) The turnaround: I-VI-ii-V (Premium)
Often found in the last few bars of a tune, the turnaround or I-VI-ii-V-I progression is a fundamental piece of many standards and is the defining feature of Rhythm Changes…
Here, the I chord leads to a dominant VI chord (borrowed from minor harmony), resolves to the ii chord, and then the V7 resolves back to I:
This progression takes some practice to create flowing musical phrases over and can be approached in many unique ways. Start with the basics and build your skills form there…
Learn more: 7 Killer Turnarounds for Your Next Jazz Solo
7) Flat vii7 or “Backdoor” V (premium)
A less talked about jazz chord progression is the bVII7 chord or “backdoor” V sound. You’ll hear this movement in tunes like Joy Spring, Yardbird Suite, The Days of Wine and Roses, and many others.
It is often found as a way to return to the I chord after traveling to the IV chord…
At first glance this chord can seem like an unrelated dominant or ii-V thrown into an otherwise familiar key. However, the bVII is an essential harmonic piece of the jazz repertoire and shares common tones with the altered V7 chord.
Learn more here: Mastering the bVII7 Chord in Jazz
8) The minor ii-V
A function of minor harmony – the minor iiø-V-i is another chord progression that you’ll find in numerous jazz standards…
Because this ii-V is coming from a minor key, rather than the familiar major, there are subtle differences to each chord. The iiø chord includes a b5 and b9 and the V7 chord has a b9 and b13…
Along with many standards, the minor ii-V is prominently featured in tunes like Woodyn’ You and What Is This Thing Called Love?
Learn more here: A Lesson with Bill Evans: 14 Techniques to Master Minor ii-V
9) The 3rd Relationship (Premium)
Another chord relationship that is less common is movement by thirds or a chromatic third relationship.
You’ll hear this relationship in Coltrane’s iconic composition Giant Steps, other tunes with “Coltrane Changes,” in the bridge of the standard Have You Met Miss Jones, and briefly in the turnaround to Lady Bird.
This progression features harmonic arrival points separated by a major 3rd – C moving to Ab moving to E.
Here a related V7 chord precedes each new tonic – Eb7 resolving to Ab and B7 resolving to E.
“Coltrane Changes” utilizing this third relationship have been used as a substitution for the ii-V-I progression and to reharmonize standards like Tune-Up (Countdown), Confirmation (26-2), and But Not For Me among others.
Learn more here: Why Giant Steps Is Easier Than You Think
10) I to iiø-V to Relative Minor (vi)
A common destination in any major key is the relative minor or vi chord…
And one way to get there is with a ii-V to the vi chord. You’ll find this harmonic movement in tunes like Confirmation, Bird Blues, and There Will Never Be Another You…
From the tonic (I) you move down a half-step and find a iiø V leading to the relative minor:
This is a common jazz chord progression that pops up frequently in standards and one that will take some practice to ingrain in all keys.
Learn more here: Charlie Parker’s Secrets to Confirmation
