Gilles Peterson opened his Worldwide Radio show by talking of Montreux this year, “Plant Life were good. And errr…the gig of the night was the Heritage Orchestra with Natalie Williams and Dwight Trible, ooohh”. The Heritage Orchestra were well-prepared as they had a Montreux Jazz Festival pre-party at Cargo as a warm-up but nobody had told Dwight was what they were going to do together.

This will be definitely one of the highlights of my life, I mean they’ve got it on video tape and if it comes out anything like I think we were doin’ — anywhere near — it was something. It’s going to resonate

“I’d never heard of The Heritage Orchestra” he says, “They must be good, this is Montreux. You know that the last concert Miles played was Montreux with a big band, Quincy Jones did one at Montreux and I had no idea what I was walking into. I’m in the Hotel and thought it’s going to be cool and I was taken to the rehearsals and man, I was so just so blown away. I didn’t think I would be able to perform as I just welled up inside.”

What the Heritage Orchestra hadn’t told him is that they’d arranged a song by Bill Lee that Dwight had written lyrics for, “The song is called ‘John Coltrane’ from the Living Waters CD, and Gilles had been playing a lot of stuff from the CD, he’s been pumping this thing and he lets me know when he’s been playing it. It just so happened when I came over here last year with Build An Ark I had just finished that record. So I just passed him a copy and said, “I think you’ll find this interesting and that day, he played it! That night man and I’m just. Because of what he’s being doing people have been getting into what I’ve been doing with that and Build An Ark and this Project, Love Is the Answer.

He was clearly overjoyed with the Heritage Orchestra’s arrangement and declares, “This will be definitely one of the highlights of my life, I mean they’ve got it on video tape and if it comes out anything like I think we were doin’ — anywhere near — it was something. It’s going to resonate.”

Talking of resonance, Living Water by Dwight Trible is nothing less than sublimely beautiful. Recorded at the Jazz Bakery, in addition to ‘John Coltrane’, it contains the previously mentioned ‘Wise One’, ‘Africa’ (including the poem, ‘The Living Waters’ by Kamau Daaood) and versions of Andy Bey’s ‘Celestial Blues’ and Freddie Hubbard’s ‘Little Sunflower’ that just have to be heard to believed. Whilst I haven’t admitted it for a long time, while I was happy to boogie on down to David Bowie’s Station To Station LP in my youth, ‘Wild Is The Wind’ was a favourite. But Dwight’s version blows Bowie’s all the way back to Brixton.

For any fan that loves the jazzy side of Build An Ark and Love Is The Answer, Dwight Trible’s Living Water on Passin’ The Vibe Records is even more essential.

And for Dwight, just when he thought things couldn’t get better, “You know I mean to be on the cover of Straight No Chaser!” He asks, “Where can you buy this magazine?”

Don’t forget, pester Gilles Peterson’s show to broadcast the Montreux gig.

P.S. At the time of writing, you can here The Heritage Orchestra’s Live Montreux Jazz Festival Pre-Party gig @ Cargo 05/07/05 with Percy Junior “standing in for Dwight” with Natalie Williams. Click HERE to get an idea of how awesome the Montreux gig was and look for the radio player on the left. Natalie herself being a guest on Gilles’ 17th July 2005 show promoting her solo material [available on ‘Listen Again’ until 24th July].

This interview with Dwight Trible is in three parts: Part One // Part Two // Part Three

Links:
www.dwighttrible.com
www.ninjatune.net Many Thanks to Laura Seach.
Gilles Peterson: 10/07/05, Live from Exit Festival Serbia
www.theheritageorchestra.com
Montreux Miles Davis Stage Saturday 9th July: Gilles Peterson presents : Plantlife, Heritage Orchestra feat. Chris Bowden, Dwight Trible (Ninja Tune), Mahogani Music presents Moodymann (live), with Piranhahead, Andres, Paul Randolph, Roberta Sweed and Nikki-O, Bugz in the Attic - DJ Set
Jazz Bakery www.jazzbakery.com “LA’s only seven night-a-week nonprofit jazz venue!” 24th July; Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Quintet, 4:00 pm Matinee $22, 18th Sept, “Samba To Soul”
Kamau Daaood: The Words of a Man
Straight No Chaser – Summer 2005 Price - £3.50
Latest Issue of the all conquering jazz mag featuring Dwight Trible on the cover, Tye Tribbett, Fourtet, Billie Holiday, Rich Medina, Daedelus and loads of people with fancy jazz names…
Cover Photo of Dwight by B+ who is a photographer and film maker in LA who did all the DJ Shadow stuff I believe.
Gilles Peterson Tracklisting :: Roisin Murphy session 17/7/05
17) Natalie Williams Feat. TY - ‘That’s The Way We Like It’ (White)
19) Goldie Feat Natalie Williams - ‘Latin Lick’ (Metalheadz)
20) Natalie Williams - ‘Secret Garden’ (White)