The seven CDs of Seven Steps chronicle the formative period of Davis's "Second Great Quintet" from its first arrival, bassist Ron Carter in the spring of 1963, to its last, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter in the fall of 1964. The set begins with the West Coast studio session for the Seven Steps to Heaven LP, with Miles, Carter, and tenor saxophonist George Coleman joined by L.A. musicians Victor Feldman (piano) and Frank Butler (drums). Then it's off to New York where Miles would cover the same material with Herbie Hancock in the piano chair and Tony Williams on drums. (The original LP selected tracks from each group, but all the tracks from both sessions are here, including unissued alternate takes.) The rest of the set features concert performances in which the band plays established Davis anthems along with a few choice standards. The leader is inspired throughout, lashing out with passion and urgency on trumpet that's clearly fuelled by the young and extraordinary rhythm section bubbling underneath him--Hancock shows an uncanny ability to shape a group's performance on a number of levels, balanced by the steady Carter and the incendiary Williams, whose drumming is both polyrhythmic and consistently, freely lyrical.  In some ways, the set is a search for the right tenor saxophonist, but all are contenders. The polished Coleman constructs solos with remarkable tension curves. Sam Rivers is a startling presence, pressing the envelope with pin-wheeling runs and an assortment of accelerated bleats that highlight the rhythm section's avant-garde sympathies. However, the arrival of Shorter is unquestionably the highpoint, as the group dialogue developed by Davis and the rhythm section finally meets its perfect complement in Shorter's complex, multi-dimensional playing. As with Columbia's previous Davis sets, Seven Steps is another triumph of design, sound, and documentation. --Stuart Broomer