At the Half Note Cafe, Vols. 1-2 [Remaster]

Performer: Donald Byrd
Artist: Pepper Adams; Duke Pearson
Engineer: Rudy VanGelder
Producer: Alfred Lion; Michael Cuscuna (Reissue)
Distributor: EMI Music Distribution

Notes: 2 LPs on 2 CDs: AT THE HALF NOTE CAFE, VOL. 1 (1960)/AT THE HALF NOTE CAFE, VOL. 2 (1960). Includes bonus tracks. Personnel: Donald Byrd (trumpet); Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Duke Pearson (piano); Laymon Jackson (bass); Lex Humphries (drums). Recorded live at the Half Note, New York, New York on November 11, 1960. Includes liner notes by Bob Blumenthal and Leonard Feathers. This is part of Blue Note's RVG series. Personnel: Donald Byrd (trumpet); Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Duke Pearson (piano); Lex Humphries (drums). Audio Remasterer: Rudy Van Gelder. Liner Note Author: Leonard Feather. Recording information: Half Note Cafe, New York, NY (11/11/1960). As Rudy Van Gelder continued to establish himself as the greatest studio engineer of jazz, he started to venture out into the nightclub scene of 1960s New York City to document the bands from the Blue Note label that were growing by strength in numbers and high-quality hard to post-bop. Donald Byrd's groups were changing and evolving, but by 1960 had reverted to two years prior with the return of baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams as his main foil. In early 1960 Byrd was working with Jackie McLean and Hank Mobley, but by autumn and winter Adams had reentered the picture, joining holdovers pianist Duke Pearson and drummer Lex Humphries. Some of this material sees the spotlight on live performances at the Half Note Cafe from the previous studio recording, Byrd in Flight, while other numbers are fresh interpretations of standards and more new material from Byrd and Pearson. Bassist Laymon Jackson spent some prominent time with Byrd, Lou Donaldson, and Nat Adderley before professionally fading from sight, but he is an excellent anchor for his bandmates, and one who deserves close inspection. Pearson's animated and excited "My Girl Shirl," the cute ditty "Child's Play," and Byrd's jaunty "Soulful Kiddy" are the reprised tracks, and kick off the set. They are a quintessential hard bop sandwich with a soul-jazz filling spiced by chopsticks piano. Two other tracks are penned by Pearson: the most famous of his works, the quick and bright "Jeannine," driven by the pianist's two-fisted comping chords; and "Chant," which is the most laid-back yet soulful selection. A pure Byrd contributes the fun, wholly blues-inspired "Pure D. Funk," alternating at will from quick waltz to slow blues, while "Kimyas" also exploits triplet figures in a chunky, popping Latin rhythm, very hip � la the best Art Blakey-led bands. "Cecile" is the most extravagant and moody blues at nearly 15 minutes, while standards "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" -- a perfect feature for the cool bass playing of Jackson -- and the ballad "A Portrait of Jennie" display the unflappable or tender side of Byrd, respectively, with additional chordal inventions from Pearson. It's clear that Byrd is an increasingly stronger player and leader at this time. While the role of Adams is somewhat sublimated in this group, he is totally a team player in tandem with the trumpeter on most melodies. Adams himself emerged, and his talent came to full fruition, when Byrd was his ostensible sideman for the 1958 group that recorded the classic Riverside album 10 to 4 at the Five Spot. Regardless of ephemeral leadership roles, this band clicks, runs fully on all cylinders, and expands these pieces averaging about ten minutes in length. Of course, the production values by Van Gelder are impeccable, and the collective playing is consistently inspired. This recording should be on the top of your list of modern mainstream jazz, and ranks very high among Byrd's many musical achievements. ~ Michael G. Nastos This 2004 remastered Rudy Van Gelder edition of Donald Byrd's At the Half Note Cafe (the original double-disc version was only issued for the first time in 2000) appears to add one extra track -- "Theme (Pure D. Funk)," which clocks in at 1:51 and is also on the second volume in its full form, and a slightly shorter version of "Cecille." Here it clocks it at 12:52; on the 2000 issue it was 14:46. The sequence has also been altered slightly. The real deal is that, while this is the live date showcasing the Byrd quintet with Pepper Adams (and with Duke Pearson, Lex Humphries, and Laymon Jackson in the rhythm section), there is little here to make this worth purchasing yet again if you have the previous set. The sound is only marginally better -- and is likely only to be noticed by audiophiles. However, if you don't have the originals, this is one of the most essential hard bop purchases in the canon. The performances of Pearson -- of his own four tunes, five by Byrd, and the standards -- showcase his improvisational acumen at its height. His soloing on studio records pales in comparison. This was a hot quintet, one that not only swung hard, but possessed a deep lyricism and an astonishing sense of timing, and one need only this set by them to feel the full measure of their worth. Forget the Riverside date that caught them live early on; this is the one. ~ Thom Jurek

Donald Byrd set the standard for hard-bop trumpet in his days as a regular on the Prestige and Blue Note labels. His brassy tone and adventurous solos, coupled with a deep sense of the blues, made him one of the most in-demand trumpeters of the 1950s and '60s. Later, Byrd turned to the R&B-influenced side of jazz, which sustained him through several successful years in the late '60s. By the 1970s, Byrd had fully embraced funk and R&B in the form of his popular group, the Blackbyrds. In the '90s, Byrd was introduced to a new crowd when he was a featured performer on rapper Guru's groundbreaking JAZZMATAZZ.

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