International Archives For The Jazz Organ (IAJO) - The Jazz Organ Scene USA

Baby Face Willette

Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (* 1933) was a hard bop and soul-jazz musician most known for playing Hammond organ. It is unclear whether he was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, or New Orleans, Louisiana.

His mother was a missionary who played the piano in the church where his father was a minister. His musical roots are therefore in gospel and Baby Face started out playing the piano for various gospel groups, and spent his early career travelling across the United States, Canada and Cuba. In Chicago he decided to switch from Gospel and Rhythm and Blues to playing in Jazz bands. He played piano with the bands of King Kolax, Joe Houston, Johnny Otis and Big Jay McNeely before switching to organ. In 1960 he arrived in New York City where he met Lou Donaldson and Grant Green, and played on a few Blue Note sessions with them. This led to Willette being signed to Blue Note Records, which recorded his debut album Face to Face. Willette formed his own trio in 1963 and recorded two more albums for Argo.

Willette taught himself to play the piano and was inspired by Jimmy Smith's work, however his playing style is heavily influenced by gospel and soul jazz. Before his time in New York City, he was based out of Milwaukee, playing with his vocalist wife Jo Gibson at clubs such as The Flame Club, The Pelican Club, The Moonglow and Max's among others. After stints in New York City, and then California, failing health forced a return to Chicago, where his family resided. He died in 1971.
from Wikipedia

Grants First Stand Blue Note BST 84064 recorded January 1961 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Grant Green, guitar Baby Face Willette, organ Ben Dixon, drums
Here 'tis Blue Note BST 84066 recorded January 1961 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Lou Donaldson, alto sax Grant Green, guitar Baby Face Willette, organ Dave Bailey, drums
Face To Face Blue Note BST 84068 recorded January 1961 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Baby Face Willette, organ Fred Jackson, tenor sax Grant Green, guitar Ben Dixon, drums
Stop And Listen Blue Note BST 84084 recorded May 1961 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Baby Face Willette, organ Grant Green, guitar Ben Dixon, drums
Mo' Rock Argo LPS-739 recorded March-April 1964 in Chicago, IL/USA	Baby Face Willette, organ Grant Green, guitar Ben Dixon, drums
Behind The 8 Ball Argo LPS-749 recorded November 1964 in Chicago, IL/USA	Baby Face Willette, organ Ben White, guitar Jerold Donovan, drums Gene Barge, alto sax
Retrospective Blue Note 7243 5 40851 2 3 compilation, recorded 1961 through 1966	Grant Green, guitar George Braith, soprano sax, tenor sax Lou Donaldson, alto sax James Spaulding, alto sax Booker Ervin, tenor sax Joe Henderson, tenor sax Hank Mobley, tenor sax Ike Quebec, tenor sax, piano Sam Rivers, tenor sax Wayne Shorter, tenor sax Stanley Turrentine, tenor sax Harold Vick, tenor sax Johnny Coles, trumpet Blue Mitchell, trumpet Lee Morgan, trumpet Tommy Turrentine, trumpet John "Johnny" Adriano Acea, piano Sonny Clark, piano Kenny Drew, piano Tommy Flanagan, piano Herbie Hancock, piano Winston Kelly, piano Horace Parlan, piano Duke Pearson, piano McCoy Tyner, piano Billy Gardner, organ Jack McDuff, organ Big John Patton, organ Jimmy Smith, organ Baby Face Willette, organ Larry Young, organ Bobby Hutcherson, vibes Dave Bailey, drums Donald Bailey, drums Art Blakey, drums Willie Bobo, drums Ben Dixon, drums Otis Finch, drums Al Harewood, drums Louis Hayes, drums Billy Higgins, drums Elvin Jones, drums Philly Joe Jones, drums Art Taylor, drums Hugh Walker, drums Richard Landrum, congas Garvin Masseaux, tambourine Carlos “Patato” Valdes, congas

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