Playing over jazz chord progressions can be quite intimidating if you are not prepared. That is because very often, playing over jazz chords require the use of many different scales. That is when you need to spend time preparing your improvisation by searching which notes might sound good over your backing track.

Let's take a look at today's chord progression:

A      C#m(b5)   DMaj7    Dm7            
C#m7   F#7(11)   Bm7      E7              
A      C#m7b5    DMaj7    Dm7              
C#m7   F#7(11)   Bm7      E7            
DMaj7  C#m7      Bm7      AMaj7                    
DMaj7  C#m7      Bm7      E7              
A      C#m7b5    DMaj7    Dm7            
Bm7    F#7(11)   Bm7      E7
AMaj7

Now that's scary, isn't it!
The secret to playing correctly over these is to take it a step at a time. Let's take the first two chords and try to create some interesting ideas following these chords. If you do that long enough, you'll start finding some licks and feel a bit more comfortable with these two chords. Developing your lead by taking two chords at a time will help your lead sound coherent and well balanced.