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Jazz Articles about Baby Face Willette

About Baby Face Willette

177

Album Review

Baby-Face Willette: Behind The 8 Ball

by Douglas Payne
April 1, 1998

Organist Babyface Willette (born 1933) had a very brief career during the early sixties. His only real gig was grinding the B-3 in the Lou Donaldson band that featured guitarist Grant Green. He was also heard on Green's Blue Note debut and two pretty good juke-joint Blue Note dates of his own (also featuring Green). In 1964, Willette recorded two even better dates for Argo. Behind the 8 Ball is the last and best of these - and also the ...

213

Album Review

Baby Face Willette: Face to Face

by John Sharpe
April 1, 1998

As is the case with most organists, Willette was heavily influenced by keyboard titan Jimmy Smith. Unfortunately, in contrast to Smith's prolific output, Baby Face recorded just 4 albums under his own name and then disappeared from the jazz scene. “Face to Face", recorded in 1961, was one of two sessions he did for Blue Note (the second “Stop and Listen" was reissued last year) and features Fred Jackson on tenor, the fine R+B/jazz guitar of Grant Green and drummer ...