Miles Davis: Seven Steps to Heaven

In Miles's first recording of 1964, he raised the bar yet again at his concert in New York's Philharmonic Hall. "Seven Steps to Heaven" is a cut from 'Four' & More, one of two releases of material from this concert, which included all the up-tempo numbers from that night's show. An early version of Miles's second great quintet is featured here (with George Coleman on saxophone, in the seat that would later be filled by the great Wayne Shorter) blazing through the changes and moving seamlessly between half- and standard time. Although each soloist performs brilliantly, it is the group's ability to move through different moods and function as a singular unit that really brings this must-have track to life.