Half Note Club
The Half Note was a jazz club in New York City, New York that flourished in two Manhattan locations – from 1957 to 1972 in SoHo at 289 Hudson Street at Spring Street and from 1972 to 1974 in Midtown at 149 West 54th Street, one block west of the Museum of Modern Art.
History
The club was owned by the Canterino family: Michael Canterino his brother, Sonny Canterino, their sister, Rosemarie Canterino, and their parents, Frank Canterino and Jean Canterino. Judi Marie Canterino, a jazz vocalist, became a family owner by marrying Michael Canterino in 1960.The Half Note was renowned for showcasing up and coming jazz musicians in the 1950s and 1960s, defraying costs with a Friday night live WABC radio show called Portraits in Jazz, hosted by Alan Grant. The Half Note was one of a handful of nationally acclaimed Manhattan nightclubs, including the Village Vanguard, the Village Gate, the Five Spot, and Slug's Saloon – that featured renowned jazz artists on a regular basis.
Forgoing standard set times, musicians were allowed to play onstage for as long as they wanted to. In 1972, Mike and Sonny Canterino moved the Half Note Midtown to 149 West 54th Street, in what had formerly been a carriage house. Roger Brousso, a record distributor from Connecticut, invested $240,000 in the new venue.
Bookings included Budd Johnson and Buddy Tate, beboppers Al Cohn and Zoot Sims, avant-gardists John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Wes Montgomery, Herbie Mann and Cannonball Adderley. Singers Anita O'Day, Billie Holiday, and, one evening Judy Garland also made an appearance. According to the book "Funny Valentine" by Matthew Ruddick, Chet Baker was a regular performer at The Half Note also. The Half Note closed January 1, 1975. Its second location, in Midtown, is now occupied by The London NYC hotel.
The movie Soul by Pixar features a reference to this club.
Live recordings
- Donald Byrd – At the Half Note Cafe
- Kenny Dorham Quintet - Live at the Half Note 1966 )
- Bob Brookmeyer, Clark Terry ;
- John Coltrane – Live at the Half Note: One Down, One Up
- Art Farmer Quartet featuring Jim Hall – Live at the Half-Note
- Clifford Jordan – Half Note
- Richard "Groove" Holmes – Onsaya Joy
- Lee Konitz – Live at the Half Note
- Wes Montgomery with the Wynton Kelly Trio – Smokin' at the Half Note
- Zoot Sims, Al Cohn & Phil Woods – Jazz Alive! A Night at the Half Note
- Horace Silver – Live at the Half Note
- Lew Anderson Big Band Live
- New York City '65 : John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones, Live at the Half Note, March 19, 1965;
- New York City '65 : John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones, Live at the Half Note, April 2 and May 7, 1965;