Jazz Chord Progressions

Jazz harmony is built from 7th chords moving round the circle of fifths. A few progressions — above all ii–V–I — turn up in almost every standard.

Play them in C major — or pick another key

ii–V–I in C major

The most important progression in jazz: each chord is a fifth above the next, ending on the tonic. 4 bars, then it loops.

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Chord tones C major Key note

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Pick a progression

14 jazz progressions

  1. ii–V–I

    ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 (2 bars)

    The most important progression in jazz: each chord is a fifth above the next, ending on the tonic.

    In C: Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7

    In G: Am7 – D7 – Gmaj7In D: Em7 – A7 – Dmaj7

  2. Jazz turnaround

    Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7

    I–vi–ii–V loops back to the start; the last three chords walk round the circle of fifths.

    In C: Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7

    In G: Gmaj7 – Em7 – Am7 – D7In D: Dmaj7 – Bm7 – Em7 – A7

  3. Circle of fifths chain

    iii7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 (2 bars)

    Each chord falls a fifth to the next — four steps anticlockwise round the circle to I.

    In C: Em7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7

    In G: Bm7 – Em7 – Am7 – D7 – Gmaj7In D: F♯m7 – Bm7 – Em7 – A7 – Dmaj7

  4. ii–V–I with 9ths & 13ths

    ii9 – V13 – Imaj9 (2 bars)

    The same ii–V–I with richer colours — the way pianists and guitarists usually voice it.

    In C: Dm9 – G13 – Cmaj9

    In G: Am9 – D13 – Gmaj9In D: Em9 – A13 – Dmaj9

  5. Tritone substitution

    ii7 – ♭II7 – Imaj7 (2 bars)

    V7 is swapped for the 7th chord a tritone away, so the bass slides down by half steps to I.

    In C: Dm7 – D♭7 – Cmaj7

    In G: Am7 – A♭7 – Gmaj7In D: Em7 – E♭7 – Dmaj7

  6. I–VI7–ii–V

    Imaj7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7

    The turnaround with a major VI7 — a secondary dominant that pulls strongly to ii.

    In C: Cmaj7 – A7 – Dm7 – G7

    In G: Gmaj7 – E7 – Am7 – D7In D: Dmaj7 – B7 – Em7 – A7

  7. Rhythm changes (A section)

    Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7

    Two turnarounds in a row — the chord loop behind hundreds of bebop tunes.

    In C: Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7 – Em7 – A7 – Dm7 – G7

    In G: Gmaj7 – Em7 – Am7 – D7 – Bm7 – E7 – Am7 – D7In D: Dmaj7 – Bm7 – Em7 – A7 – F♯m7 – B7 – Em7 – A7

  8. Backdoor ii–V

    iv7 – ♭VII7 – Imaj7 (2 bars)

    Comes home through the back door: a minor iv7 and ♭VII7 instead of ii and V — soft and wistful.

    In C: Fm7 – B♭7 – Cmaj7

    In G: Cm7 – F7 – Gmaj7In D: Gm7 – C7 – Dmaj7

  9. Diminished passing chord

    Imaj7 – ♯i°7 – ii7 – V7

    A diminished 7th between I and ii makes the bass climb by half steps.

    In C: Cmaj7 – C♯dim7 – Dm7 – G7

    In G: Gmaj7 – G♯dim7 – Am7 – D7In D: Dmaj7 – D♯dim7 – Em7 – A7

  10. Jazz blues

    I7 – IV7 – I7 (2 bars) – IV7 (2 bars) – I7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7 – I7 – V7

    The 12-bar blues with jazz moves: IV7 in bar 2, VI7 leading to a ii–V in bars 9–10.

    In C: C7 – F7 – C7 – F7 – C7 – A7 – Dm7 – G7 – C7 – G7

    In G: G7 – C7 – G7 – C7 – G7 – E7 – Am7 – D7 – G7 – D7In D: D7 – G7 – D7 – G7 – D7 – B7 – Em7 – A7 – D7 – A7

  11. Bossa nova

    Imaj7 (2 bars) – II7 (2 bars) – ii7 – ♭II7 – Imaj7 (2 bars)

    A relaxed Brazilian-style loop: a bright II7, then ii7 slides down through ♭II7 to I.

    In C: Cmaj7 – D7 – Dm7 – D♭7 – Cmaj7

    In G: Gmaj7 – A7 – Am7 – A♭7 – Gmaj7In D: Dmaj7 – E7 – Em7 – E♭7 – Dmaj7

  12. Minor ii–V–i

    iiø7 – V7 – i (2 bars)

    The minor-key version of ii–V–I: a half-diminished ii and a major V7 from the harmonic minor.

    In Am: Bm7♭5 – E7 – Am

    In Em: F♯m7♭5 – B7 – EmIn Dm: Em7♭5 – A7 – Dm

  13. Minor ii–V cycle

    iv7 – VII7 – IIImaj7 – VImaj7 – iiø7 – V7 – i (2 bars)

    Falls round the circle of fifths through the relative major and back to i — the cycle behind many jazz standards.

    In Am: Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – Fmaj7 – Bm7♭5 – E7 – Am

    In Em: Am7 – D7 – Gmaj7 – Cmaj7 – F♯m7♭5 – B7 – EmIn Dm: Gm7 – C7 – Fmaj7 – B♭maj7 – Em7♭5 – A7 – Dm

  14. Minor line cliché

    i – imaj7 – i7 – i6

    The chord stays minor while one voice falls by half steps: root, major 7th, minor 7th, 6th.

    In Am: Am – Am(maj7) – Am7 – Am6

    In Em: Em – Em(maj7) – Em7 – Em6In Dm: Dm – Dm(maj7) – Dm7 – Dm6

Why they work

Each chord in a ii–V–I is a fifth above the next, so the roots walk anticlockwise round the circle of fifths. Turnarounds and rhythm changes simply chain more of these steps together.

Jazz players then recolour the chords: 9ths and 13ths on top, a tritone substitute (D♭7 for G7 in C) to make the bass slide by half steps, or a diminished chord to fill the gap between I and ii.

See them on the circle of fifths · Chord charts · Metronome

More chord progressions