# Help me identify this "hard-bop" song?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-hard-bop-song/826376
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 19, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-hard-bop-song/826376 "2018-12-19T16:52:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@LynnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LynnM)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-hard-bop-song/826376/1 "2018-12-19T16:52:18Z")
There’s a music riff/figure going thru my mind that I’m sure is from a years-ago hard-bop instrumental, possibly someone like Art Blakey or Horace Silver.
I’m not a musician so bear with me in this explanation–
It’s only three different notes; each note is held the same length, sort of staccato; on the “flashpiano” linked below, it’s:
C4-D4-E4-D4, [slight pause then repeat]
C4-D4-E4-D4, [slight pause then…]
C4-D4-E4-C4-D4 [D4 is held longer], then repeat sequence–
Here’s the keyboard:
> **[Virtual Piano Keyboard | Online Piano at Apronus.com](https://www.apronus.com/music/flashpiano.htm)**
>
> Our virtual piano lets you play piano online with the computer keyboard using a real piano keys layout.
> Our online piano lets you play chords and make recordings.
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-hard-bop-song/826376/2 "2018-12-19T17:53:43Z")
I didn’t recognize the tune when I played it on that website, but I wanna know what it is too.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-hard-bop-song/826376/3 "2018-12-19T17:55:00Z")
[Milestones](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k94zDsJ-JMU) by Miles Davis?
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2018, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-hard-bop-song/826376/4 "2018-12-19T18:01:05Z")
Probably shouldn’t have the question mark at the end there. It’s gotta be Milestones. Classic tune.
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### Author:  [@LynnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LynnM)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-hard-bop-song/826376/5 "2018-12-19T19:11:03Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> Probably shouldn’t have the question mark at the end there. It’s gotta be Milestones. Classic tune.
Yes, that’s it!–the song is Milestones, from the album of same title.
A million thanks–
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2018, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-hard-bop-song/826376/6 "2018-12-20T04:51:30Z")
good tune
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### Author:  [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-hard-bop-song/826376/7 "2018-12-20T15:20:47Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> Probably shouldn’t have the question mark at the end there. It’s gotta be Milestones. Classic tune.
I’m impressed the OP could describe the tune so well, but also impressed that pulykamell got it so quickly!
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2018, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-hard-bop-song/826376/8 "2018-12-20T15:45:24Z")
> [@wguy123](#):
>
> I’m impressed the OP could describe the tune so well, but also impressed that pulykamell got it so quickly!
For whatever reason, I just know that tune really well. I think our jam band in college may have played around with it a bit, but definitely the cafe I worked at had Miles and Coltrane playing all the time. I also remember it from my jazz fakebook, as the whole song was notated in maybe 3 or 4 rows and only had two chords: C11 for the staccato part and Am7 for the legato bridge or B section. As a modal jazz piece, it just stuck out for its simplicity versus the sea of chords on the other lead sheets. Great solos there with distinct personalities by Adderly, Miles, and Coltrane (in that order, IIRC).
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2018, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-hard-bop-song/826376/9 "2018-12-20T15:48:01Z")
There was also another [Milestones](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4euXuPTROc) by Miles Davis (well, written by John Lewis for him, as I understand it) from 1947, not to be confused with this one.
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### Author:  [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2018, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-hard-bop-song/826376/10 "2018-12-20T17:50:57Z")
I used to get it confused with Joshua, another very melodic bop tune. It’s on 7 Steps to Heaven and was written by Victor Feldman. It sounds like a sideways take.