Donald Byrd – At The Half Note Cafe Vol. 1 LP Discount

In 1955, Donald Byrd emerged as a bright new trumpeter, one whose importance soon became obvious. Over the next few years his talents grew month-by-month during periods with George Wallington, Art Blakey s Jazz Messengers and the Jazz Lab Quintet which he co-led with Gigi Gryce. By 1958 when he signed with Blue Note, he was ready to make musical history. Byrd s string of Blue Note recordings during the next decade are all excellent including this, his first live date for the label recorded in November 1960 at the Half Note Cafe in New York City with a quintet of Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone), Duke Pearson (piano), Laymon Jackson (bass) and Lex Humphries (drums). Essential hard bop re-released here on vinyl as part of Blue Note s 75th anniversary reissue campaign.