Alternate Angles an Improvisational Experience

By Melina Paris, Music Columnist

A keen curiosity follows me when it comes to renowned vocalist Dwight Trible’s projects. So, when it came to the improvisational music ensemble Alternate Angles, which he led during an Aug. 23 performance at KRST Unity Center of Afrikan Spiritual Science, I was intrigued. I was about to witness Trible perform in what seems to be 100 percent his element: total improvisation.

An extraordinary vocalist, Trible always performs with an eclectic variety of extremely talented musicians. The group also includes Shay Lyn, with her expressions of melody, rhythm and word on Tibetan gong bowls and vocals; Maia on flute, piccolo and vocals; and Carlos Ninos on percussion.

KRST is a center for people who teach and practice ancient Egyptian spirituality and science in Los Angeles. The instrumentation, including vocals, gave this foursome many endowments. Trible, a baritone known for his vocal virtuosity, can also reach very high octaves. He sings with an entirely unique sense of spirit which comes through him wholly.

Maia is a multi-instrumentalist (flute, vibraphone, piccolo and folk harp) and an accomplished vocalist who has played throughout Los Angeles.

Lyn comes from a family of vocalists. She accompanies herself on the Tibetan singing bowls. Her influences include the harmonic and throat-singing voices of Tibet, Mongolia and Tuva. She is self-taught in the use of diatonic singing, para-rhythmic vocal phrasing, and throat-singing.

Percussionist, composer and educator Carlos Ninos has performed and recorded with the biggest recording artists of our time. The esteemed list includes Madonna, Quincy Jones, Tito Puente, Pharaoh Sanders, Eartha Kitt, Arturo Sandoval, Gypsy Kings, Jose Feliciano and Grupo Afro-Cuba de Matanzas, as well as Mariah Carey and Sade.

Together, this ensemble is more an experience than a group to sit and listen to. Though the listening is intriguing, you never know what’s coming next. Chances are you will be amazed at their execution in timing and unity in their use of improvisation.

Lyn opened with a welcoming into the space of “love and oneness,” followed by Ninos’ playing on various means of percussion and Lyn on Tibetan singing bowls.

Trible, in a quiet baritone, started with a query: “Are you ready?” Maia responded in a chant which evolved into the declaration, “Music is a healing force of the universe.”

As this chanting, music and sound progressed, Trible’s vocal acrobatics sounded like a standing bass. Esoteric at first Trible slowly moved into song. Performing their improvisational rendition of “Summertime,” with Maia on flute and Trible injecting lyrical pieces of jazz, they played within an alternate rhythm. A sort of deconstruction and a view from the inside of this song looking out. It worked wonderfully.

Maia followed with a reading of Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise,” which this audience appreciated. Watching Alternate Angles perform is to see the budding of an inspiration bloom into a full expression of deep intuitive sounds. This is especially true with Lyn, who transforms her voice into a didgeridoo (aboriginal wind instrument) sound.

Later in the show, Trible spoke to his audience of both friends and fans about his favorite place to play.

“Something where we don’t know exactly what we’re going to do,” Trible said. “Vibrate on the spirit in this room. It is really good and conducive. Meditate into what it is we’re doing. Probably foreign, but something about it that feels at home.” Maria came up with the name “Alternate Angles,” Trible believes that it means a different form of expression.

This project has been in the making for the past 10 years.

“I’ve been looking to get some people together of the right spirit that could understand the vibration of improvising and also the respect of knowing how to be in when it’s time to be in but also to back off and all of those things,” Trible said. “Finally, I think I’ve got the people [who] can pull that off.”