Level 2 · Course 15
Advanced jazz progressions
Basic, extended and minor II–V–I, rhythmic harmony, turnarounds and jazz blues.
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Pause Culture · Bebop & substitutions
Charlie Parker (1920–1955)
Parker ('Bird') improvised in 1945 over Ko-Ko (Cherokee changes) at a speed that astonished his contemporaries. He simultaneously used tritone substitutions, secondary dominants, a…
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À retenir : II–V–I is not a formula — it's a space for exploration. The more you master its variations (extensions, substitutions, chains), the more colours you have at your disposal.
The II–V–I — three versions
The II–V–I is the fundamental harmonic cell of jazz. IIm7 prepares, V7 creates tension, IMaj7 resolves. This same structure exists in basic form, with extensions, and in minor — three very different colours on the same architecture.
Key principle: the tritone in V7 (B–F in G7) is the engine of resolution. B rises to C (3rd of CMaj7), F falls to E (7th of CMaj7) — an irresistible double chromatic movement that defines the jazz cadence.
II–V–I in 4 keys
| Key | IIm7 | V7 | IMaj7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| C majeur | Dm7 | G7 | CMaj7 |
| F majeur | Gm7 | C7 | FMaj7 |
| Bb majeur | Cm7 | F7 | BbMaj7 |
| G majeur | Am7 | D7 | GMaj7 |
Essential practice: learn to play (or sing) the II–V–I in all 12 keys. Standards constantly modulate — knowing the progression in every key is the sine qua non for improvising freely.