The a-side is some collaboration: as 'Equipoise' is produced, arranged and mixed by the Sa-Ra Creative Partners who add all additional instruments and lyrics to Dwight's vocals. The vocal has been stripped from 'Peace With Every Step' off the Build An Ark album and Strata East label co-founder and pianist, Stanley Cowell, wrote the music. Dwight's vocals get cut, spliced and echoed under what sounds like half the baseline hook from Yarbrough & Peoples 'Don't Stop The Music'. It sounds like a combination of, say Leon Thomas vocals with Sa-Ra replacing the likes of Pharoah Sanders, Horace Tapscott or Charles Lloyd -- all of whom Dwight has worked with in the past. The instrumental version cuts a nice slab of modern funky-disco and it is only available on the 12".

They aimed for the stars but the b-side works better for me even though it's a mouthful of a title, 'Waves Of Infinite Harmony'. Sun-Ra-inspired-space-hop from joint producers Madlib, Niño and Daedelus. Carlos' lyrics are about flying around the sky and sharing joy on earth while there's a piercing Daedelus synth line wave of (near) infinite harmony. The percussion of Andres Renteria and Trap Drum by Dexter Story give it an Ethnic Heritage Ensemble feel. I feel an avante-garde, spiritual-jazz infusion is coming on.

The 'Instrumental' retains the "rawk the house" rap. Its inclusion is a bonus as the sleeve notes tell us it's not going to feature on the album. Neither will the other tracks 'Rise', 'Otherworldly' or the radio edit of 'Equipoise'.

'Rise' is tantalising -- one and a half minutes of soul-jazz vocal virtuosity that shows he doesn't need words to communicate. This track was written by Georgia Anne Muldrow and her past credits include working with Sa-Ra and the Platinum Pied Pipers.

'Otherworldly' is equally intriguing as Dwight's voice goes on a meandering wordless journey around the universe while his added background vocals are as Barry White as you'd like "Your Luurve" to get.

As good as it is, as a 12", our friends at Ninja have tried to get too much on this. A one-sided mix of 'Rise', 'Otherworldly' and say one of the other two tracks would have been less fragmented. Of course, what they have done is built-up the demand among the slobbering masses for the album release (planned for July). Those at Ninja Tune are a clever love force.

And, if you are going to the Montreux Jazz Festival, check the link below for The Heritage Orchestra as they are appearing in the Miles Davis Hall for Gilles Peterson's Worldwide stage with Chris Bowden and "vocal legend Dwight Trible". WOW! I hope that gets broadcast.

Reviewed: CD Catalog#:ZENCDS167 12" Catalog#: ZEN12167 (Released 16th May, 2005)

Links:
Ammoncontact interview
Daedelus review
www.dwighttrible.com
www.todonidoprenta.org
www.dexterstory.com
www.ninjatune.net
www.theheritageorchestra.com Montreux Jazz Festival, Saturday July 9th 2005