MIKE GREENSILL AND WESLA WHITFIELD

Tony Bennett, Variety, New Yorker Magazine, the Boston Globe, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Chicago Tribune, the Pacifica Tribune — anybody that's ever had a listen to song stylist Wesla Whitfield is out to herald the news; my-oh-my, this lady can sing.

Saturday night she'll be telling tales right out of the Great American Popular Songbook at Pacifica Performances. From Ellington to Sondheim, Gershwin to Lennon and McCartney — Wesla Whitfield can sing anything that has a lyric that matters in a way that settles, soothes and grooves. Accompanied by musical director/pianist husband Mike Greensill, (p.s. he's the piano player/sidekick on KALW 91.7 "West Coast Live" from 10 a.m. to noon); Whitfield and Greensill put on the kind of show that makes the people who caught it; brag. Yep, that's experience speaking. Included among the evening selections will be songs from the couples new CD "Message from the Man in the Moon."

Born in Santa Maria, Calif., 2-1/2 year-old Wesla was visiting her grandparents in L.A. when she watched a young girl named Molly Bee sing on the Jack Owens Variety Show. "I saw her sing and knew it was my destiny," said Whitfield.

One of three sisters, Whitfield's family had a Wurlitzer spinet. "We all got to take piano lessons," said Whitfield. "But when my father was injured and couldn't work for almost two years, my oldest sister gave up her lessons so I could have mine because she felt I was talented. I have had the opportunity to thank her for that many times and wished I'd worked harder at it."

"My mother had a very big voice, unlike mine, but no training as she had come from very poor circumstances. My father purported to be totally unmusical but it was he who pointed out to me that every time I sat down to play piano, I tensed up. Pretty darned observant for a non-musician."

Whitfield's first important gig was at Shakey's Pizza Parlor in 1967. "The band let me sit in and I knew I'd be spending the rest of my life doing this."

Whitfield studied classical music in college because it was the only music allowed on the curriculum. She moved to San Francisco and sang with the San Francisco Opera chorus but eventually gave it up because as a singer, her interests lay elsewhere.

"When I was singing in the SF opera I found myself sneaking out to piano bars," said Whitfield. "Those places had life in them, and singing this music in front of an audience thrilled me more than I can say — still does! Classical music for me has never had that same appeal, and I'm sure that's because I never really had the chops for it."

In addition Whitfield has a great partiality to lyricists. "Those words are so powerful — and I get to sing them! I've always been in love with words and as a young girl would sit alone in my room and read poetry aloud. Oh, I was such a dweeb!"

Where has her music taken her? "I've been to London twice and that is the sum total of my 'out of the country' experience," said Whitfield. "I've been to many places within the States, but this chair (wheelchair) has held me back from a real 'touring' career."

When the singer was 29, she was struck by a random bullet that left her paralyzed from the waist down.

"I can't really worry about that or have any bitter feelings as this chair has also led me to some truly amazing places all on its own and I sure as heck wouldn't have gone there otherwise. The things I've learned and continue to learn about myself are enormous; usually not what I'd want to know, but it is unavoidable. Being disabled magnifies every personal flaw about 6 zillion times, and they are presented to me over and over and over and — well, you get the idea."

Whitfield's way with a song also took her, at the request of Hillary Clinton, into the White House on June 21, 1996. "I found myself starting out calm but slowly getting more and more nervous as the reality of it all sank in. Hillary met with us afterwards and made us feel totally at ease within 10 seconds. Oh, those politicians are brilliant!"

Wesla's singing has also taken her to the ballpark. "I've had the pleasure of singing the National Anthem at four Giants games and two A's games," said Whitfield. "I'd love to do more; spread the word!"

Whitfield met husband Greensill at her first big success: "a 12 week run at the Hyatt Union Square."

"Greensill came in at the suggestion of the bass player, Don Bennett, did some arrangements for me, played a gig with me and became my accompanist because it was such a good fit," said Whitfield. "We were friends for about five years before anything else ever crossed our minds well, mine anyway."

In the States since 1977, Mike Greensill is from a village in Gloucestershire called Dursley. He went to a college in Leeds as a clarinet player.

"The piano sort of took over while I was there so I was a very late starter as a piano player," said Greensill. This has held me in good stead as an accompanist because I have very little technique and I'm not tempted to use that!"

When Greensill was 12 or 13 he heard a Louis Armstrong "Hot Five" record and knew he was going to be a musician for a living.

"My father played the organ and my mother the piano and of course they were both horrified that I wanted to be a musician," laughed Greensill.

Originally inspired by Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton and many other New Orleans musicians, Greensill lists Earl Hines, Monk, Bill Evans and Jimmy Rowles as his current-day inspirations. His favorite gig story the first time he got paid!

"However much one may complain, and there's no better way to get a musician to complain than to give him a gig; it's a blessing to be able to play music for a living," said Greensill.

Whitfield confirms this love for life as a musician. "I get to dress up, wear lots of makeup with great lighting and sing about all the intimate details of life. What's not to love?"

What are the benefits of live music? "There is no substitute for live music," Whitfield said. "There is someone right there in front of you giving out all of this energy and getting the same back from the audience hopefully. No matter how terrific a recording is, that just doesn't come through. Live performance has the possibility of success and failure at every turn, and no one is ever sure what might happen next, especially the performers!"

If you go:

Where: Pacifica Performances Sanchez Concert Hall, 1220 Linda Mar Blvd.

When: Saturday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open 30 minutes before show.

Tickets: $20 general, $15 seniors/students/members, $12 senior or student members, free under 18.

Contact: call 650-355-1882 or email info@pacificaperformances.org.