Customer Reviews

At the Half Note Cafe - Volumes 1 and 2 (RVG Remaster)

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Donald Byrd's two "Live at the Half Note Cafe" volumes have been unavailable on CD since the early 90s, but are thankfully making a comeback in the RVG Series with this new reissue. Combined now as a two-disc set, Byrd is joined on this live November 11, 1960 session by frequent collaborator Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Duke Pearson on piano (in one of his earliest Blue Note performances), Laymon Jackson on bass and Lex Humphries on drums. Byrd and Pepper have more freedom to stretch out in this club setting than they do on studio on efforts like "Byrd in Hand" (see my review), and the result is a much more enjoyable album. If you are truly interested in this title, I would suggest you look into the limited edition box set "The Complete Donald Byrd/Pepper Adams Blue Note Sessions" on Mosaic as well. (It does not include "Half Note," only studio sessions.) As good as this date is, I still prefer the long out-of-print classics collected on that box like "Royal Flush," "The Cat Walk" and "Chant," the latter which also happens to be Herbie Hancock's debut recording. It would be welcome to see those three albums in the RVG series at some point too (once the Mosaic set sells out I'm sure), but in the meantime it is good to be back at "Half Note Cafe."

5 stars for the music - the music is fantastic!! How could Byrd, Pepper Adams and Duke Pearson not be!?!?! (1 star for Blue Note) However, one major disappointment is from Blue Note - this CD came copy protected. This means you can't play it on car CD players, your computer (without uploading a special player just for this CD), or upload the tracks to a MP3 player. I don't know too many people without MP3 players, including myself, so this is a real drag. Blue Note really dropped the ball with reserving the media in which you can play this great music. Just thought people should know.

This is an amazing set from Byrd, Pearson and Pepper Adams, when all were at the top of their game.