Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis 1963–1964

Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis 1963–1964
Compilation album by Miles Davis
Released	Sep 28, 2004
Recorded	Apr 16, 1963 - Sep 19, 1964
Genre	Jazz; hard bop; post-bop; modal jazz
Label	Columbia/Legacy
Producer	Bob Belden and Michael Cuscuna (reissue)
Miles Davis chronology
The Essential Miles Davis (2001) Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis 1963–1964 (2004) Cool & Collected (2006)

Professional ratings
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Rolling Stone	[1]
Allmusic	[2]

Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis 1963–1964 is a box set of studio and concert recordings by Miles Davis for Columbia Records over a two-year period. It marks the final part of the time of transition between the two so-called "Great Quintet" formations.

John Coltrane had left the band and Davis searched for a new tenor saxophonist. After dismissing Hank Mobley among others, Davis hired George Coleman; he is featured on the recordings on four of the seven discs. Part of the album Seven Steps to Heaven was recorded in Los Angeles in April 1963 with Victor Feldman on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Frank Butler on drums (disc 1); the other part was recorded a month later in New York, where Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams already established the rhythm section of the Second Great Quintet. Coleman quit in spring 1964 and Williams recommended Sam Rivers who then went on tour with the band, in the United States as well as to Japan, where the music on the sixth disc was recorded (Miles in Tokyo). Then finally Davis could poach Wayne Shorter, who was musical director of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers at the time. Miles in Berlin represents the first recording of the Second Great Miles Davis Quintet (disc 7).

Disc 1 and part of disc 2 are the sessions that made up the Seven Steps to Heaven album.

The second half of disc 2 and disc 3 are the concert recordings from the Jazz Festival in Antibes that made up the In Europe album.

Disc 4 and 5 are the sessions that made up the My Funny Valentine and Four & More albums, both recorded in 1964 at the Lincoln Center, New York, on February 12, 1964.

Disc 6 contains the Miles in Tokyo album, with Sam Rivers replacing George Coleman.

Disc 7 contains the album Miles in Berlin, which was previously only available in Germany and Japan.

Track list

Disc One

1. "Joshua" 5:24
2. "I Fall in Love Too Easily - 6:44
3. "Baby Won't You Please Come Home - 8:25
4. "So Near, So Far" - 5:11
5. "Basin Street Blues" - 10:27
6. "Seven Steps to Heaven (Take 3)" - 5:29
7. "Seven Steps to Heaven (Take 5)" - 6:11
8. "Summer Night" - 6:01

Disc Two

1. "Seven Steps to Heaven (Rehearsal Take)"- 6:57
2. "Seven Steps to Heaven" - 6:23
3. "So Near, So Far" - 6:56
4. "Joshua" - 6:58
5. "Introduction by Andre Francis" - 1:00
6. "Autumn Leaves" - 13:55
7. "Milestones" - 9:17
8. "I Thought About You" - 11:48

Disc Three

1. "Joshua" - 11:36
2. "All of You" - 16:54
3. "Walkin" - 16:14
4. "Bye Bye Blackbird" - 16:64
5. "Bye Bye (Theme)" - 6:06

Disc Four

1. "Introduction by Mort Fega" - 2:49
2. "Autumn Leaves" - 10:40
3. "So What" - 9:11
4. "Stella by Starlight" - 12:54
5. "Walkin'" - 8:07
6. "All of You" - 14:40
7. "Go-Go (Theme and Announcement)" - 1:44

Disc Five

1. "Introduction by Billy Taylor" - 0:44
2. "All Blues" - 8:53
3. "My Funny Valentine" - 14:55
4. "Joshua" - 9:32
5. "I Thought About You" - 11:15
6. "Four" - 6:17
7. "Seven Steps to Heaven" - 7:45
8. "There Is No Greater Love" - 10:03
9. "Go-Go (Theme and Re-Introduction)" - 1:45

Disc Six

1. "Introduction by Teruo Isono" - 1:10
2. "If I Were a Bell" - 10:15
3. "My Funny Valentine" - 12:48
4. "So What" - 8:03
5. "Walkin'" - 9:13
6. "All of You" - 11:18
7. "Go-Go (Theme)" - 1:20

Disc Seven

1. "Milestones" - 8:57
2. "Autumn Leaves" - 12:39
3. "So What" - 10:27
4. "Stella by Starlight" - 12:54
5. "Walkin'" - 10:39
6. "Go-Go (Theme)" - 1:46

References