While many guitar players avoid classical training and pursue their musical studies informally, Toulouse Engelhardt has made a career of avoiding the common elements of music altogether. His songs leave reviewers and critics searching for words to describe them. In a way, he has accomplished what the surf bands, jazz players and Takoma crew had sought to do all along; treat the guitar and its music as communication from another dimension.
AD What influenced you to start playing guitar?
TE My dad was an awesome tenor guitar player and he turned me on to the strings &frets around the age of six. I grew up in the early sixties in Southern Ca when Surf Music was climbing the charts and got turned on to the Ventures, Dick Dale and the Deltones and all the instrumental groups on Del-Fi Records. I soon outgrew the simple melodies and arrangements of Surf instrumentals and took on the challenge ofjazz. I quickly mastered all of my old Wes Montgomery records and then started looking for something else. I turned to solo finger style acoustic guitar because I could essentially be a "one-man-band" and do all the integrated melodic parts and rhythms myself and all at the same time! You have to be a little schizophrenic, a masochist and a contortionist to chase a music career around solo finger style instrumental guitar.
AD Did you ever take lessons?
TE I only had 2 guitar lessons in my life The first was from guitar great Larry Carlton, who taught me how to play "Walk, Don't Run" by the Ventures and believe it or not, Wes Montgomery, outside the famous Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach, CA in between his last 2 sets at 2AM. The year was 1966. Thatz it!
AD What were your early influences?
TE My earliest finger-style-builders were probably Davey Graham, Sandy Bull, Merle Travis and Chet Atkins. Then of course my mentors and fellow label mates at Takoma Records John Fahey and Leo Kottke. I was the last and the youngest of the "Takoma Seven". We were the original guys that started the whole renaissance in acoustic guitar music we see today.
AD What are your current influences?
TE I no longer listen to other artists in my genera. I agree with the late John Fahey when he said "all of these copycat clones of the so-called "New Age" bore me...What can I learn from them?" I set my collective standards a long time ago. I always remember my motto; "The guitar is a Universe onto itself..The longer I play, the more I realize that I know nothing at all". I will continue to draw my own road map and explore new time and space. That is what drives me.
AD Which is your favorite guitar you've ever played?
TE I don't have a favorite. I only have 5 instruments in my guitar arsenal. Eachone has its own distinctive personality. A '76 Ramirez 1-A for Spanish/Classical work. A Mosrite Ventures Model that was given to me by my parents back in '64. I use it for my Chet Atkins type excursions and of course my three 12 Strings: a '71 Martin D-12-28, a '98 Taylor 855 and my newest addition, an '03 A Davis SD12MCS . On my new record "Perpendicular Worlds" I used all of my guitars except the Mosrite.
AD What's next?
TE Lots! A new album, a great new distribution deal with MVD Entertainment Group, a fabulous "roots" publicity agent, Mark Pucci, in Atlanta and some serious touring in 2010, not only as a soloist, but in a duet with Hani Naser, one of the worlds greatest percussionists and as a part of his all-star worldbeat Band which features former Doors drummer, John Densmore!
