Dm7Bbmaj7Cmaj7

Dm7 Bbmaj7 Cmaj7 is a three-chord sequence consisting of D minor seven, B flat major seven, and C major seven. In jazz and popular music, it is often encountered as a coloristic progression that can function as a chromatic approach to the tonic in the key of C major, where Dm7 is the ii7, Bbmaj7 serves as a borrowed, non-diatonic color chord (a bVIImaj7), and Cmaj7 is the Imaj7. The combination provides a smooth voice-leading path: Dm7 and Bbmaj7 share common tones (D, F, A), easing the move from Dm7 to Bbmaj7, and Bbmaj7 to Cmaj7 introduces a lift via a chromatic step to the tonic.

In practice, players may voice the chords in various inversions and comping styles, with root movements of D to Bb to C or with bass notes that wiggle to emphasize the contour. The progression is versatile: it can appear as a short turnaround, part of a longer ii–V–I framework, or as a color bridge between diatonic areas. It is related to the broader concepts of modal interchange (borrowing from parallel modes) and backdoor-type motions, though Bbmaj7 is not the classic backdoor dominant.

Commonly observed in jazz standards and pop tunes, Dm7–Bbmaj7–Cmaj7 can be encountered in ballads and mid-tempo tunes, especially where a smooth, lyrical sound is desired. See also: ii–V–I, backdoor progression, modal interchange.