iii-vi-ii-V (Extended Turnaround)
How do jazz musicians create that fall that grabs you without knowing why?
iii-vi-ii-V is the extended jazz turnaround: a 4-chord fall by fifths that resolves to the tonic. Longer and more dramatic than the simple I-vi-ii-V. Misty, Alice in Wonderland.
iii7vi7ii7V7
Complete guide
Level: Late Intermediate Styles: Jazz
🎵 Analysis
Instead of starting at home (I), this progression starts "far away" (on iii) and cascades through the circle of fifths until it reaches the dominant (V), which asks to return to I.
- iii → vi: Fourth motion (strong)
- vi → ii: Fourth motion
- ii → V: Fourth motion
It is an uninterrupted chain of resolutions.
🎹 In C Major
- Em7 (iii)
- Am7 (vi)
- Dm7 (ii)
- G7 (V)
Notice that Em7 (E-G-B-D) is very similar to Cmaj7 (C-E-G-B), so it works as a more "sad" substitute for the tonic.