Track Listing

1. Basin Street Blues
2. Seven Steps to Heaven
3. I Fall in Love Too Easily
4. So Near, So Far
5. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
6. Joshua
7. So Near, So Far [*]
8. Summer Night [*]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7594 in Music
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2005-03-15
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Amazon.com
By early 1963, Miles Davis was still casting for a new band and this recording accurately reflects Miles' search for his "new sound." Seven Steps to Heaven is the product of two separate sessions recorded during this transition. Davis already had bass player Ron Carter on board. After pianist Victor Feldman, who played on half the set, declined the job Davis enlisted the young Herbie Hancock to fill the seat. The even younger Tony Williams, just seventeen, joined on drums for the second round of sessions. Finally, tenor saxophonist George Coleman, though included on this entire recording, would soon be replaced by Wayne Shorter completing one of the most important quintets in jazz history. For a project borne out of transition, this is a very strong album that moves along seamlessly. More than forty years on, the title track remains intoxicatingly fresh, and all the more so with the warmth and clarity of this stellar remastering. --David Greenberger

Customer Reviews

4 1/2 stars-- Davis in transition.
In 1963, Miles Davis was reeling a bit-- the Wynton Kelly Trio (Kelly, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb) had just quit, leaving the trumpeter without his stellar rhythm section, and with both John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley breaking ties the band, there was no one left from the band that recorded the triumph of "Kind of Blue". "Seven Steps to Heaven" tracks the evolution of Davis' working band over three sessions in early 1963-- the last studio work he'd do until early 1965.

The first two sessions recorded here find Davis in the company of tenor saxophonist George Coleman, pianist Victor Feldman, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Frank Butler. The pieces from this session are primarily standard ballads-- "Basin Street Blues", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" and "Summer Night" (a bonus track originally issued as part of "Quiet Nights". All four feature Davis superbly lyrical-- he seems particularly inspired by the somewhat underrecognized Feldman, whose lovely and emotive frameworks set up simply fantastic environments for Davis to solo and the ever-brilliant Carter to counter. This is all particularly obvious on the stunning reading of "I Fall in Love Too Easily", destined to stay in Davis' live repetoire for over seven years (extraordinarily rare for Davis, he tended to play songs live no more than a couple years, sometimes even less) and still featured into his "fusion" period. Coleman's only appearance from this session is the performance of "So Near, So Far" (again a bonus track originally issued on the odds-and-ends album "Directions"). The performance is pretty lifeless, with neither Davis nor Coleman particularly inspired.

A month later, Davis entered the studio, again with Coleman and Carter, but with two steps closer to forging his next great band, with pianist Herbie Hancock and drummer Tony Williams. The change at the drum seat is obvious-- Williams, a young prodigee at this point, is explosive, powerful and yet never in the way. They perform three pieces-- another reading of "So Near, So Far" and two originals-- Victor Feldman's "Joshua" and the Feldman/Davis-penned title track (interestingly enough, all three were attempted at the previous session). Again, Davis seems inspired, but this time with an ecstatic energy-- his playing on the title track (a bouncey hard bop piece) is agile and mercurial, leading into a brief, stunning drum break and a frantic solo by Coleman reminiscent of Coltrane's work in the Davis band. "So Near, So Far" gets a vastly superior reading-- the theme statement split around the two horns is fluid and intriguing, and Davis pours his heart into his horn on his solo-- exploring his horn's registers and expressiveness (and listen to Carter behind him who is fantastic enough to nearly steal the show, and he is perhaps even moreso under Hancock's solo). "Joshua" gets an intriguing reading-- it's bizarrely lryical and yet maintains a sort of exciting frantic energy, and again the performances are superb throughout.

Something stops me from thinking of this one among Davis' best, but it's an awfully good album, with great performances throughout. This remaster adds great sound to the mix as well-- could have been recorded yesterday. Highly recommended.

Essential '60s Miles Davis
Miles Davis was one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of our time. His need for change, exploration, and experimentation will remain his legacy. I think anyone who plays or listens to jazz owes it to themselves to check out Miles Davis. That being said, "Seven Steps To Heaven" is a one of his greatest recordings of the 1960s.

Recorded in 1963 in Los Angeles and New York, this recording remains a somewhat overlooked album in Davis' vast discography. The reason I think it is overlooked is because it features Miles playing more ballads. I believe ballads are what made Miles Davis great and that's why if anyone loves ballads, then "Seven Steps to Heaven" would be a great purchase. Of course, tunes like the title track and "Joshua" are both uptempo adn feature some really swinging rhythms and hot soloing. "Seven Steps To Heaven" also feature three of the greatest musicians from contemporary jazz: Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. This is the first time they played with Miles Davis on record.

The musicians on this album are all stellar and are given plenty of room to stretch out. Here is the lineup for this album:

Miles Davis - trumpet
George Coleman - tenor saxophone
Herbie Hancock - piano (tracks 2, 4, and 6)
Victor Feldman - piano (all other tracks)
Ron Carter - bass
Tony Williams - drums (tracks 2, 4, and 6)
Frank Butler - drums (all other tracks)

Despite what people say and what they feel is the greatest Miles album, I feel that "Seven Steps To Heaven" is right there with some of his best work. I own 35 albums by Miles Davis and I can't believe I waited so long before I bought this album. Hearing albums like "Workin," "Relaxin," "Cookin," "Round About Midnight," "Miles Ahead," and "Kind of Blue," made me a fan, but nobody should overlook anything Miles did in the mid 50s to mid 60s. It was an amazing period for Miles and when listening to "Seven Steps To Heaven" makes me appreciate him even more.

To the reviewer who said this record was a "transitional" record, all I really have to say is that every album Miles made was a transitional record. That's just apart of his music. Miles was always looking towards the future and that's evident in everything he has done.

Buy this album and don't let mixed reviews scare you. This is a classic jazz album that deserves to be heard.

Heading in the right direction...
This album is a great collection of songs from two different collctions of good musicians. Over the years, I have always preferred Miles' era with Gil Evans (Miles Ahead, Porgy & Bess, Sketches of Spain), but this album, in 1963, brings a more crisp & refined sound. The opening cut ('Basin Street Blues') is absolutely marvelous, and Victor Feldman shines on a soft, emotional piano solo about midway through the song. All the songs (including the bonus cut: 'Summer Nights') are thoroughly enjoyable with peaceful melodies. This album is a winner, and should be considered as one Miles Davis' best... very close to being 'heavenly'.