As we near the end of this journey, we arrive at another classic progression in the jazz world—the I–VI–ii–V.

It’s a staple in countless standards and often shows up as a turnaround in blues tunes as well. There are a few great ways to approach this: one is to lean into traditional blues vocabulary—many classic blues phrases sound right at home over this progression. Another option is to take a more jazz-oriented path, targeting each chord individually with clear voice leading and harmonic awareness. Or, better yet, combine the two!

Experimentation is half the fun. Trust your ears to guide you—they’re often the best judge of what feels right. Keep applying everything we’ve covered so far, and let’s keep moving forward.

Performance Video