Gloria's Step is an instrumental jazz composition in the key of F, written by the bassist Scott LaFaro, an American musician born in 1936 who died in 1961. LaFaro is its sole credited writer. The original recording is by the Bill Evans Trio (Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian), made live at the Village Vanguard in New York City on June 25, 1961. It was released in October 1961 on the album Sunday at the Village Vanguard (Riverside RLP-376), produced by Orrin Keepnews and subtitled "Featuring Scott LaFaro". LaFaro was killed in a car accident eleven days after the session, and this was the trio's last performance with him. The album opens and closes with two of his compositions, and it is routinely ranked among the best live jazz recordings.
The tune has since been recorded by many artists, including Larry Coryell, Gordon Beck, Ralph Towner, Ray Drummond, Larry Willis, Chick Corea and Bill Evans himself, who recorded it on Momentum and on The Tokyo Concert.
