BJ: How many instruments do you play?
Dolphin: To be honest I hope to never have an answer for this question. I hope that I will always be a student and learning new instruments. Generally I find that most instruments are cousins and just merely vary in technique and approach. With that as my focus I’m always open to learning and opening myself up to new things. Generally on all my records you will find me playing electric lead guitar, electric bass, acoustic guitar, piano, organs, synths, drums, harmonica, and percussion and so on. I would say 90 percent of these albums are all live instrumentation – only a few with me making beats as I make beats as well.
BJ: How long did it take for you to learn how to play with those instruments?
Dolphin: It’s a lifelong process really. Just like with words or human interaction – you learn more and more as life goes on. That being said I’ll find a tape of me performing when I was in high school that may completely trump something I’m doing today. I honestly don’t feel as if I have ever really learned anything, I imagine it’s always been there… in my DNA… I just needed to have the courage to tap in and unlock it and I find as I learn more about myself I learn more about music. As I learn more about music I learn more about myself.
Dolphin’s “War Outside Our Bedroom” Music Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm3AzdTqP-A
BJ: Word on the street is that you’ve actually recorded 50 albums.
Dolphin: Yes, I did.
BJ: How does someone record 50 albums? I don’t think Prince even recorded 20 albums and you recorded 50. How does someone pull that off?
Dolphin: I have sacrificed so much personally as an artist and it was always for the art. O ver a ten-year period, there have been a lot of sleepless nights, failed relationships, and living like Howard Hughes. (laughs) It’s not samples and loops. It took a lot of work, but I just felt it was necessary for me personally to go that route. It’s never been for fame or material wealth. I’ve done it so I could always create freely. For me this isn’t popular music – it’s more or less my life soundtrack made available for anyone willing to follow. That’s how I view it and as a result, I have never felt a need to be part of the industry machine or conform to or be confined by its regulations. To me only the artist owns his art and that’s how I plan to live.
That being said I think the intention of creating music for me came from a much different place than some artists – and that may account for why I write so much. I give the credit to the Universe for the music; I’m merely just a vessel. I can recall so many nights my friends went out to a party, dinner, or just to interact socially. I would stay home because I’d just gotten a new Chic Corea album on vinyl and I wanted to ‘study’ the record all night or I had a song in my head or a new guitar. It definitely has not been easy as now my circle of friends is a lot smaller than it used to be. (Laughs)
When I went to Africa for the first time I was about mid way through this process. While there I met the late Dick Griffey, founder and president of the legendary Solar Label. Listening to him talk about spending time in close confidence with Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, and Marvin Gaye inspired and taught me a lot. He hosted me at his compound – he would die shortly after so for me just being able to build with him on music, intention… the system.. was so powerful man. When I told him how many albums I’d recorded he told me, “Keep going, you could make history… at the very least you’ll be the only man I ever met to get it all off his chest.” (laughs). When I got back to the states I was so inspired I recorded an entire album in a week; 17 songs to be exact.
