Wesla Whitfield



Vocalist WESLA WHITFIELD, and her husband, arranger, piano accompanist Mike Greensill have produced a gem of a collection with Message from the Man in the Moon (Pismo Productions – No Catalog Number).  It has been almost 20 years since I first became acquainted with these special performers, and each album that they have given us has been almost pure pleasure.  They know how to select fine material, and put a personal stamp on each selection.  Whitfield has one of the most distinctive voices in the jazz/pop field.  She phrases exquisitely, and reads a lyric with the best of them.  Greensill is simply a supremely talented and sensitive accompanist, as well as having terrific jazz chops.  If space permitted, I would comment on each selection, but suffice to say that there is not a weak track among the 15 that comprise the album.  I shall just point out that I particularly dug “Sail Away,” “A Woman’s Intuition,” “Message from the Man in the Moon,” “I’m Way Ahead of the Game,” “Moonlight Saving Time,” “Some Other Spring,” and two truly special tracks, “That’s Him Over There,” by the recently departed, and vastly underrated songwriter Lew Spence, and “Will You Remember Me,” a hidden treasure from the Gershwins.  Wesla Whitfield and Mike Greensill – perfect together! (www.weslawhitfield.com