Seven Steps to Heaven (composition)


"Seven Steps to Heaven" is a 1963 jazz composition by the English jazz pianist Victor Feldman and the jazz trumpeter Miles Davis. Different lyrics to it were written much later by singer Cassandra Wilson and jazz lyricist and singer Jon Hendricks. This iconic jazz standard was introduced in 1963 by the Miles Davis Quintet. Although Feldman played and recorded with Davis in Los Angeles on Seven Steps to Heaven, and he appears on half of the tracks of the album, the West Coast-based pianist did not want to follow Davis to New York, where the album version of the composition was finally recorded with Herbie Hancock on piano.

Composition

Seven Steps to Heaven is a 32 bar composition in a AABA form; it has an intro, an interlude and an ending - but these are the same. It was originally played in an up-tempo swing style. It also feature a number of stops - making it a popular piece with jazz drummers.

Renditions