ii7-V7-I7 and iiø7-V7-i7 Progressions and Autumn Leaves

The ii-V-I and ii°-V-I (minor) progression in jazz is one of the most fundamental and important progressions. This progression suggests 3 different harmonic functions: the predominant (ii), the dominant (V), and the tonic (I). When we expand it to sevenths, we get ii7-V7-I7 and iiø7-V7-i7. Here are the chords in G Major and E Harmonic Minor. E Harmonic Minor has a raised 7th in the scale.

G Major Seventh Chords

E Harmonic Minor Seventh Chords

The 7th of A minor (G) moves down to the 3rd of D7 (F#) and the 3rd of A minor (C) becomes the 7th (C) of D7. Then the 7th of D7 (C) moves to the 3rd of G Major and the 3rd of D7 (F#) becomes the 7th of G Major.

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Lets look at a classic example of the use of ii7-V7-I7 and iiø7-V7-i7 in the jazz standard Autumn leaves in the key of G Major. Lets first discuss the song form. The most typical song forms are AABA and ABAC. In these song forms, it consists of four 8-bar sections for a total of 32 measures. The distinction between the sections is the phrase model used. There are other song forms such as 12-bar blues.

In the song Autumn Leaves it contains a A section and a B section. It has two 8-bar A sections followed by a unique 16-bar B section. Below is the traditional chord progression for the song. The score is marked with the sections of the song with an A and B. The ii7-V7-I7 and iiø7-V7-i7 progressions are marked as they occur in the song.

The song starts out with a pickup measure. Then in measure 2-4 it does a ii7-V7-I7 progression in the key of G Major. In measures 6-8 it does iiø7-V7-i7 progression in the relative minor of E Harmonic Minor. It is interesting to note in measure 7 it plays the C# denoting the Melodic Minor mode, which has a raised 6th as well, but the iiø7 from the previous measure denotes Harmonic Minor. Starting section B, measures 13-15 continue the iiø7-V7-i7 progression from E Harmonic Minor. Then in measures 17-19 it reverts back to the ii7-V7-I7 progression for G Major. In measures 21-23 it does the iiø7-V7-i7 progression from E Harmonic Minor again. Then it does something unique, the song wants to move from the vi7 chord in measure 23 to the IV7 chord in measure 25. It does this by doing a ii7-V7-I7 in the key of C Major. The song closes with a iiø7-V7-i7 progression in the key of E Harmonic Minor.

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In addition, when we add sevenths to the ii7-V7-I7 progression we get an interesting correlations. The 3rds and 7ths of the chords become guide tones dictating the voice leadings and transition of the harmonic progression. The 7th of both the ii7 progressing to V7 and V7 progressing to I7 descend down to the 3rd of the next chord. The 3rd of both the ii7 progressing to V7 and V7 progressing to I7 become the 7th of the next chord. Notice this in the example below.

Let's continue with the song Autumn Leaves to see an application. Take a look at a snippet from the first 8 measures.

In measure two, the note played is the 3rd (C) of the ii7 (A minor7) chord and is held over to the third measure where the V7 (D7) chord is played. That third (C) of the ii7 chord now becomes the 7th (C) of the V7 chord. In measures 6-7, this same 3rd to 7th transition occurs, but in the E Harmonic minor with the 3rd (A) of iiø7 (F#ø7) becomes the 7th (A) of the V7 (B7) Chord. This also occurs in measures 4-5 with the progression from the I7 (GMaj7) to the IV7 (CMaj7) chord. The third of the I7 chord becomes the 7th of the IV7 chord. This is not a V-I progression but suggests a dominant move since C is the subdominant of G or a 5th below G, a functioning dominant transition hence the IV chord being called the Subdominant.

There is also a unique application of the 7th moving down to the third harmonically in measures 3-4. The Chord V7 (D7) is played, which includes the 7th (C). This is the downbeat note played in measure 4, but with the I7 (CMaj7) chord played against it, alluding to the 7th (C) of V7 moving down to the the 3rd (C) of I7.