Dwayne Dolphin: Press

CD reviews: Dolphin's 'Pretty Girl' shows bassist's abilities
Sunday, July 20, 2008

Buzz up!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Pretty Girl'
Dwayne Dolphin (Bonedog)

(out of four)



'Trio Talk'
Lafayette Harris Jr. (Airmen)

It is sometimes hard to keep up with bassist Dwayne Dolphin's music. On bandstands here, he can be a mainstream craftsman with the upright bass or a funkmeister with his guitar-like piccolo bass. He shows that also on his new "Pretty Girl" or as one-third of a Lafayette Harris Jr. band on "Trio Talk." "Pretty Girl" is a contemporary-styled release that uses some the best jazz players in Pittsburgh right now: saxophonists Lou Stellute and Chris Hemingway, trumpeter Sean Jones and singer Carolyn Perteete, among others. It is dedicated to his late mother, whom his dad called "Pretty Girl," and can be touching, but never maudlin. The album is an rich mix of his funk and straight-ahead talents. "The Saints" is a version of "When the Saints Come Marching In" that starts off in a contemporary groove before taking a mainstream twist. "Twins" ends with a quote from John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme." Harris's album, on the other hand, is a rather ordinary trio outing of familiar jazz tunes such as "Pent-Up House" and "Bolivia," and never moves from that direction. That album, which also features drummer Winard Harper, is played professionally, but has none of the creativity of Dolphin's. It is available only through iTunes and www.cdbaby.com.

-- Bob Karlovits

Dwayne Dolphin
"Ming"
[Bonedog Records, 2006]
Reviewed by Rob Young
Date: August, 2006 [14 Tracks 65:52 Total Spin Time]


Although he’s genuinely rooted in traditional jazz bassist and Pittsburg native Dwayne Dolphin arrives with an mosaic of creative and innovative music simply titled “Ming” his latest offering on Bonedog Records.

Dwayne began playing drums by the time he was ten years old within the same year he picked up the bass guitar. From there his journey excelled when he turned fifthteen and began playing bass and working with Pittsburgh’s finest such as Roger Humphries, Pete Henderson, and Carl Arter.

Jazz lovers often squabble back and forth about the tempo, melodies, and ability to play funk or whatever wets your whistle. In this case, I’ve heard an assortment of sounds and textures by a musician who is an extraordinary talent with aforementioned ability to cover a palette of music that contemporary jazz lovers in particular will savor and enjoy with each spin.

Dwayne Dolphin primarily plays the Piccolo bass on this project without being locked into one direction sonically. Once you hear treasures like Wilton Felder’s ballad “Way Back Home” featuring Lou Stellute on tenor saxophone and there’s also Herbie Hancock’s monster groove “Chameleon,” you’ll shy with joy and relief because you’ll discover this cat is about playing timeless music and rejuvenating it with his own unique spirit. Oh yeah, there’s no question you’ll dig these jams by Dolphin!

For those of you that absolutely crave contemporaryjazz for back in the day you’ll find Dwayne Dolphin’s “Ming” quite refreshing, a jewel, or diamond in the rough if you will. Dolphin serves up a superb monstrous rendition of Roy Ayers’ “Voyage” features the incredible Sean Jones on trumpet. You can get your spiritual groove in order with Donnie McClurkin’s “We Fall Down,” and please don’t get sidetracked by the these covers because this cat knows how to work a tune to make it his own without diminishing the quality of the original.

Bassist Dwayne Dolphin knows and has fine tune his craft remarkably well by honing his skills with a host of prime players in jazz such as: Hank Crawford Group, Wynton Marsalis, Stanley Turrentine, Nancy Wilson, Melba Moore, Fred Wesley and many others over the years. Dolphin’s originals are definitely cream of the crop gems, please check out: Ming, LC’s Lullaby, Right Before Your Eyes, Mrs. Harrison, The Sipper, Ali and That Name written by bassit Brian Sanders. On his current project “Ming,” multi-instrumentalist Dwayne Dolphin has harvest an abundance of meaningful and certainly enjoyable music, please check him out at your leisure you want be sorry!

Pittsburgh Courier - November 1, 2006
Pittsburgh’s Ace of Bass returns with new disc
DWAYNE DOLPHIN - MING
Bassist, composer and music educator are just a few of the adjectives
to be used in reference to Dwayne Dolphin. After gigging around
Pittsburgh since the tender age of 15, he set off for the Big Apple and
apprenticed with masters such as Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Hank
Crawford and Pharoah Saunders, to name a few.Every bass player worth
their fret credits their musical mentors as early influences. Dolphin’s were
varied and included Boosty Collins, Verdine White, Stanley Clake, Willie
Weeks and Jaco Pastorius. Later Sam Jones, Paul Chambers, Charles
Mingus, Leroy Vinegar and Ron Carter.Two years have passed since the
release of “4 Robin,” his debut recording as a leader. Since then, when not
working as an adjunct professional of Guitar at the Mary Pappert School of
Music at Duquesne University, Dolphin remains a fixture on the Pittsburgh
music scene. Recently seen playing opposite Pittsburgh Symphony
Orchestra musician Patricia Prattis Jennings holding down the bottom line
in the Roger Humphries quartets and in various clubs and venues in the
metro area, Dolphin continues to embrace his craft. The result is a follow-up
release that features Dolphin on piccolo bass. The new release from Dolphin
is titled “Ming” in a nod to the influence of Charlie Mingus. “Ming” features
original compositions, contemporary Jazz classics and songs of inspiration.
Dwayne has assembled a great group of musicians (including Sean Jones
on trumpet and Victor Provost on the steel pans, among others) that takes us
on an aural excursion. Once again he explores new territories with his use of
the electric piccolo bass, popularized by Stanley Clark, as a solo and lead
instrument.The 14-track disc has many standout cuts like Herbie Hancock’s
“Chameleon” and “We Fall Down.” This is a must have for your collection.

Jazz at Sassy Marie's

Bassist Dwayne Dolphin and trumpeter Sean Jones brought jazz back to the North Side on Saturday as Sassy Marie's restaurant revived itself as a music venue.

"Good to have it back on the block," said drummer Roger Humphries, who was in the audience. The club in its previous lives had been a steady Pittsburgh jazz site, and its new owners have begun efforts to restore that. The opening night couldn't have been much better. Dolphin, on his piccolo bass, led a quintet through an evening of "What's Going' On"-like funk and originals. His "We Fall Down" drew cheers from the packed basement concert space after Jones' solo built steadily in passion.

Jones also stunned the crowd later when he played flugelhorn in his right hand and trumpet in his left. It would have been a great set on any occasion, but as a jazz-renewal event, it had even more special qualities.

-- Bob Karlovits

Personality test: Musician Dwayne Dolphin
By The Tribune-Review
Thursday, June 26, 2008

Buzz up!


His first professional gig was 30 years ago, but Dwayne Dolphin was only 15 at the time, so he is far from wrapping up the career. The bassist is a major player in the Pittsburgh jazz scene, and fans are no doubt glad he isn't.
Dolphin, 45, grew up in the Hill District, went to Schenley High School then plunged into his work "like Kobe Bryant," he says, mentioning the Los Angeles Lakers star who bypassed college to go to the pros.

He performed with trumpet star Wynton Marsalis for nearly two years starting when he was 18 and has shaped a career here and nationally. These days, Dolphin lives in Franklin Park with his wife, Robin. He says he is happy to be working frequently with trumpeter Sean Jones and at the popularity of his piccolo bass. That's a bass that is tuned an octave higher than normal and allows him to do guitar-like sounds,

His new album, "Pretty Girl," will be released the weekend of June 27 and the subject of three album release parties then


story continues below




They will be playing at 9 p.m. Friday at Gullifty's in Squirrel Hill, 9 p.m. Saturday at Sassie Marie's on the North Side and 7 p.m. Sunday at CJ's in the Strip District.
The star who would play me in the movie version of my life and why:

Laurence Fishburne. He is such a great actor, he would make my life seem better than it is.

Childhood hero:

My brother, Fred. He would let me hang around him and his friends. Most of them were into music or sports so that's what I did.

Pick your favorite captain:

• A. Kirk

• B. Kangaroo

• C. Crunch

• D. Jack Sparrow

B. Kirk He liked all the ladies blue or green!!

If the TV is on at 2 a.m., I'm watching:

SportsCenter. But at 3 a.m., Martin Lawrence comes on.

Three people I'd love to have dinner with:

• Pam Grier

• Walter Cronkite

• Muhammad Ali

After a long day, I like to relax with a:

• A. Martini

• B. Cabernet

• C. Herbal tea

• D. Hot chocolate

A. Martini

My quirkiest inherited trait:

Moving my leg when I'm sitting.

Pick one:

• A. American Gladiator

• B. WWE

A. It's competitive and fun to watch!!

My favorite sandwiches, plus fixings:

Turkey, lettuce, onion, pepper jack cheese

One word your mother would use to describe you:

Courageous

Celebrity crush:

I have two 1. Pam Grier 2. BerNadette Stanis of "Good Times"

The oldest thing in my refrigerator is:

Ground meat

My required snack in a movie theater is:

Popcorn

When I was 10, I wanted to be:

Pop singer

Exercise I hate most:

Pull-ups

Vegetable I won't eat:

Beets

I'm deathly afraid of:

Snakes

If I was auditioning for "American Idol," my song would be:

"Brown Sugar" by D'angelo

The first band I saw in concert:

The Jackson Five at the Civic Arena

TV marathon you could watch all day and why:

Martin Lawrence. I love comedy!

The person I'm most often mistaken for

Fred Hammond

Choose one:

• A. Dogs

• B. Cats

A. Because they love you no matter what.

I own 20 pairs of shoes. My favorites are: sandals

Pick one:

• A. Boxers

• B. Briefs

B. Cotton feels good

In high school, I was:

A musician

The most famous person I ever became friends with:

Bill Cosby

Choose one:

• A. John

• B. Paul

• C. George

• D. Ringo

C. He made millions of dollars and nobody really seem to know him or care at all.

My most recent eBay purchase:

I bought my first CD, "Portrait of Adrian"

Pick one:

• A. "Ugly Betty"

• B. "America's Next Top Model"

• C. "What Not to Wear"

• D. "Extreme Makeover"

C. You got to look good!!

The movie that always makes me cry:

"Rudy" -- I know what it's like to have a dream and act on it!!

My most treasured fashion accessory is:

My hats

Pick one you love or hate:

• A. Stripes

• B. Polka dots

• C. Plaid

• D. Paisley

D. Paisley can look real good. Ask Prince!!

What you'll always find in my glove compartment:

A map

My most embarrassing junk food:

Peanuts

If I wasn't a musician, I'd be:

Motorcycle mechanic

It's not pizza without:

Pepperoni

Pick one:

• A. Original Hot Dog Shop fries

• B. Primanti Brothers fries

• C. Potato Patch fries

• D. Pommes frites

A. The first bite you hear that crunch WOW!

My favorite Web site:

Myspace -- My friends are there 24 hour a day!

My most memorable fashion mistake:

I try not to make those!

Pick a Bond:

• A. Sean Connery

• B. Timothy Dalton

• C. Pierce Brosnan

• D. Daniel Craig

A. Sean Connery. He is BOND!

If I could live my life as someone else, it would be:

. . . in Brazil

My childhood nickname was:

Pooh

My favorite "bad" movie is:

Meteorman

My first job:

Cleaning my high school for the summer

My worst job:

Cleaning the grates in the lights at my high school

My favorite cable channel:

ESPN

Life would be better without:

Bush

If I could tour with any two bands, they would be:

George Duke and Herbie Hancock

I never travel without my:

Soap. My skin is sensitive I need a mild soap.

People would be surprised to know that I:

I make my living in music playing James Brown music.