The Turnaround Ladder
Our most important turnaround progressions are all slight variations of each other, but with a not-so-slight change in sound.
Step 1: Our most basic turnaround. A 1-6-2-5 progression, using all chords which are diatonic to the key (presented here on a blues in C):
Step 2: Swap any of the minor chords for dominants. This creates a chain of secondary dominants going around the circle of fifths.
Here, I've swapped both Am and Dm for A7 and D7 respectively. But, its just as well to swap just one of them.
Step 3: Apply the tritone sub. Take any of the dominant chords, and substitute it with a dominant chord that is a tritone away. (eg. A7 becomes Eb7). In my example voicing, the left hand will stay the same, but the right hand notes each come down a half step.
These tritone substitutions create compelling chromatic bass movement, and allow for many kinds of outside sounds in your soloing.
Andalusian, sort of.
An Andalusian Cadence is progression where chords drop by whole steps, usually ending on a minor chord. (Hit the Road Jack).
We can apply this same kind of movement on a blues, which gives you a satisfying resolution by borrowing chords from the parallel minor.
The "Tadd Dameron Turnaround"
The unique turn around from Tadd Dameron's tune, Lady Bird, is often lifted and used in other tunes too.
I've written it here as all major 7th chords. That Dbmaj7 on the end can be played as Db7, as in the tritone substitution as well (though, the major 7 is mighty tasty).
The "Josh Walsh Turnaround"
If Tadd Dameron can coin his own turnaround, why can't I? (I say, as I calmly stroke my own ego).
In my turnaround, I swap the first chord for its tritone (C7 for Gb7). That tritone resolves normally, down a half step, to F7. That F7 becomes Fm7, which kicks off a backdoor ii-V-I back to C major.