15 Nov, 2009
Something to Tip Your Hat To in Vallejo, CA
Posted by: Beach Reporter In: california| events
Vallejo, CA–Are you looking for an intmate evening? Would you like to spend it with someone who grew up in Santa Maria? You can do just that in the show, “Ties, Tuxes & Tales: An Intimate Evening”, featuring Wesla Whitfield with the Mike Greensill Trio. Santa Maria on the Central California coast is home to famed Hollywood actress Jane Russell, who often sings in the local cocktail lounge near the Santa Maria Airport. And it is where Wesla Whitfield learned to sing. She is one of music’s greatest vocal stylists who will entertain guests for one night in the New York chic 100-seat Loft 447 micro-cinema, Vallejo’s undiscovered gems. Accompanied by her husband/musical director Mike Greensill, she trained in classical music, not out of a particular love for the genre, but because it was the only music offered in the small town of Santa Maria.
Things have changed. Santa Maria is now larger than Santa Barbara with a population of over 100,ooo, and Whitfield has moved on. As an alum of San Francisco Opera, this classically trained singer has mastered other genres and is known to rival Rosemary Clooney in her command of the Great American Songbook.
The sought-after vocalist has appeared in every major cabaret and jazz club in the United States as well as multiple Carnegie Hall concerts and command performances at the White House. Radio appearances include Garrison Keillor’s national show, “Prairie Home Companion”, singing with the legendary trumpeter, Joe Wilder, on ‘Weekend Edition’ with Susan Stamberg, ‘On Fresh Air’ with Terry Gross, and on All Things Considered’ with Robert Siegel. While on television she has appeared with husband Mike Greensill on the Charles Grodin show, performed on the Regis and Kathie Lee show, and were the subject of a feature story on America’s favorite TV show, ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ with Charles Osgood.
When: Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Where: Loft 447, 447 Georgia Street in Vallejo, CA
Tickets: $250 each or $450 per couple
empresstheatre.org or 707.552.2400
