LP-739

Baby Face Willette - Mo-Roc

Released 1964

Recording and Session Information

Baby Face Willette, organ; Ben White, guitar; Eugene Bass, drums
Ter Mar, Chicago, 27 March + 2 April 1964

13142 Dad's theme
13143 Misty
13144 Bantu penda
13145 But not for me
13146 Sight in darkness
13147 Mo-roc
13148 Unseen and unknown
13149 Zip five

Track Listing

Mo-Roc	Roosevelt Willette	27 March + 2 April 1964
Bantu Penda	Roosevelt Willette	27 March + 2 April 1964
Dad's Theme	Roosevelt Willette	27 March + 2 April 1964
But Not For Me	George & Ira Gershwin	27 March + 2 April 1964
Misty	Erroll Garner & Johnny Burke	27 March + 2 April 1964
Unseen And Unknown	Roosevelt Willette	27 March + 2 April 1964
Zip Five	Roosevelt Willette	27 March + 2 April 1964
Sight In Darkness	Roosevelt Willette	27 March + 2 April 1964

Liner Notes

THE MUSIC on this album offers strong cvidcnce of the versatility-and-greatness of Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette. This versatility and greatness is divided into two levels, first as an instrumentalist, second as a composer.

As an instrumentalist, "Baby Face" exploits a highly rhythmic and "funky" organ sound, a sound that today is extremely popular with the record buying public, including both lovers of Rhythm and Blues and Jazz.

As a composer, all of the original tunes in the album were composed by Willette. The others, "Misty", the Errol Garner classic, and "But Not For Me" are by now jazz standards.

Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette was born on September 11, 1933 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Like many of today's top jazz organists, He got his start playing in church. He is no newcomer to the jazz organ scene. Among earlier dues he has paid were stints with the great Joe "The Honeydripper" Liggins and "Big" Jay McNeely.

After years of traveling on the road, experiencing the pros and cons of a musician's life socially, economically and musically, Willette decided to make it on his own, and formed a trio. The group as represented on this record was formed in the fall of 1963.

The organ of Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette is unique. It jolts with the unexpected and the new. It has something to say and uses every resource to interpret its message. Willette's organ is ingenious — gifted with musical expression — listen now to ROOSEVELT "BABY FACE" WILLETTE...

The set opens with MO-ROC, a tune which is named in short for Chicago's Moroccan Village where "Baby Face" is currently employed. Willette's driving solo sets the mood for Ben White's "cooking" guitar on this track.

In Swahili, which is an African language, BANTU PENDA means "Black Love". This track features mellowness involving contrasting elements of these two instruments, the organ and guitar.

DAD'S THEME, "Baby Face" asserts, "is a tune that was dedicated to my father who died recently". Again the soulful organ of Willette is establishing new pitches, more funk and harmony. The marching togetherness on this is beautiful.

The much recorded "BUT NOT FOR ME" has good melodic lines. Willette plays through the tune in a provocative manner, then tosses the feature spot to Ben.

An African female witch doctor was in mind when Willette recorded UNSEEN AND UNKNOWN. Notice the blending of harmonics on this one. The screaming, which connotates the voicings of the witch doctor, also enhances this set.

ZIP FIVE, another Willette original, begins with a swinging, grooving, rollicking beat. Freedom of expression is dominant here. Throughout the whole 'grooving" affair, the listener will not only get a chance to hear the tremendous virtuosity of the Willette organ, but to "dig" Ben White and Eugene Bass in a secondary but forceful role "wailing" and "pushing" the set to a successful conclusion.

Rounding out this tastily prepared album, the trio indeed reaches the essence of musical compatibility on SIGHT IN DARKNESS. Here Willette's organ and White's guitar concur ideas. On this, as well as throughout the album the skinmanship of Eugene Bass is very much appreciated.

Looking over the whole session, all of the charts on this album, which is "Baby Face" Willette's first album for Argo, you will find one of the most spirited and original organists in the "World of Jazz" today — Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette.

Tom Reed
"THIS IS JAZZ"
KPRS FM
Kansas City, Missouri