It’s such an honour to perform here

Aug 22 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

‘I DON’T think Gershwin is really played properly – it’s been watered down over the years,” so says Wally Fields. “All the excitement, and grit, and danger has been removed to make it anodyne and acceptable.”

The Liverpool-born conductor and composer has the antidote to that.

Enter the Wally Fields Orchestra, a 40-piece big band more than prepared to put its leader’s money where its mouth is. The orchestra comes to Liverpool for a one-off event at the Philharmonic Hall next month, to play a programme including Gershwin’s classic, Rhapsody in Blue, and some of Wally’s own compositions, including the world premiere of Born to Dream, a tribute to his home town.

Wally was born in Wavertree and began playing piano at eight years old. He left Liverpool in his late teens to continue his education in London, but returns often to visit friends and family.

His orchestra, clearly a labour of love for all involved, has performed an annual concert at the Royal Festival Hall for the past eight years. They have only come up to Liverpool once before, playing a memorable concert at the Philharmonic Hall in January, 2007. With fond memories of that still fresh in his mind, Wally can’t wait to return.

The September concert will include performances of Gershwin's Concerto in F (third movement), American in Paris, and the original version of Rhapsody in Blue, as performed at it's New York premiere in 1924.

“There’s a lot more to Gershwin than easy listening, and we represent that in the way we perform. Originally Rhapsody in Blue was a jazz score, very challenging, very brilliant, with masses of punctuation and edge to it,” Wally explains.

“It is unique – it defines the music of the 20th century.”

The orchestra will also perform some original compositions, including Wally’s Concerto in Jazz and Rachmaninov-inspired Partizan Rhapsody, before the world premiere of the specially commissioned Born to Dream.

“It’s been my dream to come back to Liverpool and perform here. This is where I received my musical education. When I left, I kept my music going, but my big dream was to do the Wally Fields Jazz Orchestra and bring to life that lifetime ambition to do Rhapsody in Blue, as well as compose myself.

“Although I just can’t compare myself to Gershwin, I’ve got a pride in my work, Partizan, like he did with Rhapsody in Blue.”

After moving to East London to pursue a career lecturing in history, Wally got by playing piano in jazz clubs and running bands. But what he always wanted to do was form his own orchestra.

The world premiere of Born to Dream will be an emotional highlight in a varied career.

“It has such importance to me being back in Liverpool,” he says. “I felt I had to write an anthem for Liverpool 2008 and show how I think Liverpool sees itself, or should see itself.

“It defines Liverpool in terms of going back to the Blitz, from war, to the disillusion in the 1970s and, to now, what I can see is a renaissance. Liverpool people have more pride in themselves and in what’s been achieved.”

Born to Dream comprises two movements – the first, From the Depths, symbols Liverpool’s decline. The second movement, Life, represents the city’s rebirth.

Musically, Wally says is it is “very radical”.

“The best way I could express the emotion of power and pain was to mix big band and jazz with heavy rock, so it has formed a symphonic rock in a classical context. I’m not a pedant, I love all music, if the music is right.

“Liverpool expresses itself through rock, it’s an integral part of the city. So, if I’m writing an anthem to Liverpool, you can’t divorce it from that element.”

Born to Dream features the vocals of tenor Elliott Goldie, who appears with permission of the Royal Opera. Conducting will be Paul Eshelby, and acclaimed classical performer James Pearson, a regular at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club and performer with the Halle Orchestra and RLPO, will be on piano.

For Wally, the concert couldn’t have happened at a better time.

“I wanted it to be 2008 because it’s such an important year for Liverpool – probably one of its greatest years – and I wanted to be part of it and play here,” he says. “And it’s such an honour – there isn’t going to be another 2008.”

WALLY FiELDS Jazz Orchestra plays the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on September 28.