Accidental History In Progress

Say it isn't so - Barenaked Ladies Message Board - All - Barenaked Ladies Message Board - Message Board - Yuku

I'm not a Barenaked Ladies fan, though I enjoy their music. Jae and I made plans to go with my daughter, Casey, and her mom, Kelly, to Universal Studios Orlando yesterday for Mardi Gras where the BNL boys were scheduled to perform. After the mardi gras parade, we walked over to catch the band and they seemed a little "off" to me. An old friend I hadn't seen in ages mentioned something about this too, and there was much allusion from the stage about "new chapters" and whatnot. I Googled the band on the way home and discovered that founding member Steven Page had left the group and that there had been a fair amount of drama over the past year or so.

So, basically, we were witness to the first show without Page this evening. Very interesting to read the fans accounts of the concert and also some of the discussions on various BNL forum threads.

Dive! - Days 2 and 3

The next phase of working with this track involved some more re-recording and also wrestling with the sound levels. Vocals were getting buried under the wall of sound I was creating, yet the "punch" still wasn't quite there. Much E.Q. futzing and tweaking took place before I finally arrived with a mix that I could live with.

Next, the addition of a screaming dulcimer solo in the section that I left especially for that purpose. One of the challenges of writing in the studio is that you're not as familiar with a piece as you'd like to be - you truly have to pull the music out of thin air. After several runs at it, I laid out a solo that captured the mood of the track.

Finally, a few bits of atmosphere - a distorted dulcimer buzz at the beginning and doubling of the main riff and pre-chorus half-steps. I separated the "Dive!" call and response sections and put them on channels E.Q.'ed to have an AM radio voice effect, like the commander of a submarine. Finally, to punch home the whole visual, I found a pretty cool sub klaxon and split them into left and right channels with some delay. When this tune kicks off - it's a sonic assault, giving you a taste of the intensity to follow.

Now, I'll let it sit and simmer while I wait for the bassist to learn the part and then I'll be adding real bass into the mix. In the meantime, I've started working out the chords for the next tune - and will probably get around to recording sometime this weekend.

Tonight

For now, though - it's off to Downtown Eustis for the First Friday Street Festival with Mohave (featuring said bassist, Tom Sharp.) Three stages of bands, lots of food, drinks and fireworks on up until 10 pm tonight. If you're in the central Florida region, we hope you'll come out and join the party!

Dive - Day 1 (the next step)

If you haven't listened to the 1:50 snippet of the six-track "Dive", check out the post before this one. There, I had a finished drum track, though not mixed, and every other track was a "scratch track", or placeholder for parts. Doing this helps me to work with the drums and get them exactly where I want them for fills, accents, pushes and other dynamics.

The version above is still a rough mix, but the difference in the tune is night and day; you can hear the finished product beginning to emerge. I re-tracked the dulcimer twice - two separate performances with slightly different amp settings - and panned them slightly to the left and right for a fuller sound. I re-tracked the lead vocals and made a few passes before deciding to keep the first take. I then layered the harmony parts, four in all, and then doubled those tracks like I did the dulcimer - so I sang the same parts on a different track.

I then began the process of mixing, even though I've got a few more elements that I'd like to fit into the song. Mixing is the most laborious part of the process and it's nice to chip away at it slowly, adjusting levels and equalizing frequencies as you go. Then, once everything's in place, the final mix is not too far around the bend.

The harmonies are still too low in the mix, the vocals too "hot", the bass still needs to be tracked by a real bassist. I've got some "opening up" of the drums to do and there's a lack of definition in the repeated "Dive" chorus. That's going to take some fine tuning, 'cause I'm not going to re-record anything besides the bass. One of the things about the process - you capture the moment and the more times you do it, the more the original moment slips away. Sure, I just wrote this tune today, and will be more familiar with its possibilities somewhere down the road. That's when it begins to become a morphing musical organism in the live stage show. Right now, it's raw, honest, in-your-face, and I like it. Hope you do too!

Dive - Day 1 (a sample)

Here's a rough mix of "Dive" at the early stage. What you're hearing are the drums, bass, one track of dulcimer and four tracks of vocals. Everything but the drums is a "scratch track", which means it's just there as a placemarker and will be re-recorded.

I first wanted to get the drums situated with the right amount of push and emotion (they're Garageband Loops, but played by a real person on a real drum set.) Then I laid down the dulcimer track to get an idea of how the two would work together. From that combo came the "feel" for the lyrics and laying down of lead and harmony parts. This may not be the way it all ends up down the road, some parts may change. In fact, the bass is a software instrument in GB triggered by my playing of the Roland Fantom keyboard. To get the right feel, I will probably call in an actual bass player to do the track. You'll hear a little shimmering audio artifact with some of the higher frequencies (like cymbals), which is due to the type of MP3 compression that I used.

This is as raw as it gets and it's just a half-day's work, but it will give you an idea of the first steps towards taking an idea and bringing it around to a full-blown recording.

Dive - Day 1

It's pure coincidence that I've begun recording my next record on the same day that U2 releases its long-awaited "No Line On The Horizon." The plan all along, after the release of "Christmas Each Day" in late 2008, was to write, record and publish two new instructional book/CD combos to take on the road for spring 2009 festival season. "Mountain Dulcimer In The Band" books 1 and 2, along with 4 accompanying CDs, are now available and I feel like that work is done for now. It's been about two years since "Dulcimer Rock", an album that was composed of songs both old and new; relatively safe for the ears of dulcimer festival audiences and edgy enough to have found fans in all other areas of music fandom.

"Kokopelli Rising" was an intensely personal album, albeit one to showcase the Native American flute and mountain dulcimer, so there were parameters in place from the start. With a boiling need to purge some of life's residue and internal conflict somewhat relieved, the path towards making this new record was paved lightly with musical markers tied around trees.

And I've listened to the new U2 album twice through now; there are a couple of standout tunes that caught my ear and my breath like the shiny "Magnificent" and the confessional "Moment Of Surrender." Emotionally, there were peaks that I wanted to match in this new endeavor - a lot has happened since the last time a musical vein was opened in this studio, and that went mostly unheard for production quality reasons (the album was 1998's "Die Caught Ah Me!", which I've rifled, plundered and looted for material ever since.)

There's one song recorded prior to this day that might end up on the album (the world-beat romp "Mia Cafe", written for an Australia art exhibition), but everything else is being composed on the spot in the studio, attempting to capture the emotions and energy of the Now. The aim is to get below the surface of spirit and pare away some of the shadows; a scary thing to do - introspect in retrospect. For many years, I avoided listening to other people's music as I concentrated on developing my own unique style. Once that seemed secure, the soaking up of the many wondrous influences around the world has opened up a universe of tastes and styles, colors and textures. Not only that, but ideas about storytelling and song presentation - framing of ideas and feelings; bringing truth to the surface where it can once again itch and burn.

Likening the entire record to a plunge into dark waters, it's tentatively being titled "Dive."

The title track has been written and I'm now in the process of fleshing it out - what I'll be doing through this blog is shedding some light on the creative process and what it takes to bring an album from idea to reality.

Say It With Style

What came first, the chicken or the egg? The lady or the tiger? The music or the lyrics? In the case of "Dive", I wanted a balls-to-the-wall, three-chord rock assault to couch the lyrics that would introduce the theme for the album. Swore to God I wouldn't write this thing in sequence, but we'll see how that goes.

I ended up grabbing the Greibhaus solidbody and injecting it into a well-distorted amp, eventually crunching out a looping, insistent phrase that modulated between E5 - G5 and A5. I knew I wanted to make that the foundation for both the verse and chorus to keep the thing rockin', so breaks would have to be taken from that for dynamic's sake.

Though the punkiness of the music hearkens back to my Crazed Bunnyz days (that's me on guitar with Marc Plainguet on bass synth circa 1986), the album will bear lots of cross-genre touches, including classical orchestrations that come from my work as a film composer - so though some of the changes would seem standard, the idea here was to also throw in some cinematic elements that could either be recalled later or arranged for maximum effect. The pre-chorus bridge carries this weight, with a modulation between B5 and C5 with a flat 6th chiming back and forth, which really gives it a sort of sinister and dangerous feel. Maintaining tension - I break up the main riff (shared by the bass) with a wide open G chord that never resolves to the A. That comes later.

That's the nuts and bolts of it - it times in around the 3 minute mark and when I've got a demo ready, it'll be posted here. But for now, here are the lyrics to "Dive":

DIVE
music and lyrics by Bing Futch
Copyright © 2009 J.O.B. Entertainment Inc.

floating on my back in the sunshine
gazing at the clear blue sky
thinkin' 'bout the time
before I lost my mind
and how sweet it was to live a lie

ah

the weather here is always amazing
no-one rains on your parade
center of the earth
another virgin birth
Jesus Christ, you really got it made

when the sky turned black and the water chilled
and the hired guns arrive
looking for the killer of the man you killed
hold your breath, it's time to dive

dive

it's murky in the deep blue under
forgotten memories, buried in the sand
wish I had a map
to relocate the crap
that I tossed down here from on the land

when the sky turned black and the water chilled
and the hired guns arrive
looking for the killer of the man you killed
hold your breath, it's time to dive

solo

=====

As you can tell simply from the lyrics - it's much darker than anything on "Dulcimer Rock" and certainly edgier. Much of the later Mohave material floated in this realm, tunes like "Planet Earth" and "All For One" with the difference being they were tunes generally sung in the third person; a safe place to be as a commentator or Greek chorus. When a tune comes out of a confessional place, the risk is huge.

I can't honestly tell you which direction this album is going, other than to say it's going to be "without limits." Though there is a lot of darkness to parse through, there is also much light and I do expect that there will be balance. But you know what they say (and *they* are usually right, I've found):

it's always darkest before the dawn.

Mohave: This Friday In Eustis!

Mohave will be returning to downtown Eustis for the 1st Friday Celebration from 6-10 pm on March 6th. It's a free street festival with lots of cool stuff going on, including music on three stages. For those of you wondering when the band is going to perform, here's a rare opportunity to catch us before festival season starts and I'm on the road again!

We'll be playing some new songs and old favorites. Weather should be wonderful - hope to see you there!

Making music and meeting people

George Lottermoser, imagist.com/blog » Blog Archive » Panning for gold in the stream: twitter 4 months later

Last week I created a new web page-site poetographs.com to post work which puts words into a graphic context that, hopefully, enhances meaning. I put the link out on twitter and received a number of retweets (RT). Bing Futch, a beautiful and generous musician, responded and RT’d the link.

I've been on Twitter for about two months now and have made some fantastic connections. One of them is George Lottermoser, and this blog talks about his experiences on Twitter and how we came to meet each other. I love the internet.

Last minute gigs!

Dicey Reilly's Gig - Fri/Sat, February 27-28 at 7 pm

Those of you who have been asking when I'm playing next - here ya go! Friday and Saturday night at Dicey Reilly's (formerly O'Doherty's Irish Pub). New management, new name, haven't been down there yet - so I don't know if it's the same chef or serving staff, but we're gonna find out this weekend! February 27th-28th.

The address is:

918 New York Ave,
St. Cloud, Florida
34769-3362
(407) 892-7709

I'll start up at 7 pm and play until 11 pm both nights. Kid-friendly environment - just me and my double-neck dulcimer, come on out and let's have a drink on it!

Getting started with recording

7 Free Digital Recording Apps for Windows - In the Jungle

Being a musician can be expensive. With musical instruments, equipment and software you normally get what you pay for, and we want to sound good! So we pay, and pay big. But it’s good to know you can get some things for free.

Ain't that the truth?

For those of you on PCs who are looking to begin recording yourselves, this is the place to start. Next, invest in a decent microphone and/or audio interface for your computer. These range from USB interfaces like the M-Audio Transit or FireWire interfaces like the PreSonus Firebox (which is what I use together with Garageband for Mac.) They don't have to be expensive; you just have to get the sound into your computer in order to work with it.

Good mics for not a bunch of money include the old standby Shure SM-57 for instruments and Shure SM-58 for vocals.

Search this blog for the E.Q. Bible and post your questions here. If you've ever wanted to record something, now's the time to do it!

Chord-building basics

IMMusic Inc. MIDI, Music and Keyboard Fun: Building Simple Major Chords

Once you have been working on your scales a bit, you can use that information to help with the formation of chords. Let's start off with a major chord.

Start with the root note of the scale. What's the root note you ask? Without going deeper into some other discussion, it's simply the first note in the scale. So in the C major scale the root would be C. In the D major scale the root would be D.

My friend Curt's got a cool blog with all kinds of great music theory info. Though coming from the chromatic world of keyboards, this is practical learning for mountain dulcimer as well (especially if you ever plan to begin, or are, playing chromatic dulcimer.) I've been busy this week getting "Mountain Dulcimer In The Band (Book 2)" completed - more on that later - enjoy this post!

Watch this video

Elizabeth Gilbert on creative genius | Derek Sivers

* Do you feel songs come “through” you?
* Do you wait for inspiration?
* Or do you just work and work no matter what?

* Do you feel you’ve already achieved your “greatest hit”?
* Or is your greatest work yet-to-come?

I think other musicians would be curious to hear your thoughts on this too, since it’s often a very lonely pursuit, so feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this page.

This is a great video and if you're a creative person, you'll find some amazing inspiration here (and that means most of you reading this right now.)

African American Roots Camp This Summer

Mars Hill College, in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina

Strengthen Technique and Expand Your Repertoire...

This week of personal instruction, jamming, and playing with nationally known faculty is guaranteed to improve your skills and help you play with more confidence! Focused morning classes, genre-based afternoon workshops, evening concerts, and informal jams allow students to experience the breadth and depth of African American music traditions. Classes cover Old Time, African, Blues, Ragtime, Funk and Jug Band standards and rarities. Whether you’re a rank beginner or a seasoned player, SRS’s in-depth curriculae and dedicated teachers will bring new enthusiasm and power to your playing.

I'm pretty stoked to be a part of this week-long event, this summer in North Carolina. More updates as we get closer, but this is up now on the Mars Hill College website.

Mia Cafe: Another New Demo!

This track is a commissioned work to accompany visuals from an art gallery showing in Perth, Australia. Entitled "Mia Cafe", it's a blend of Egyptian pop-rock rhythms, mountain dulcimer, Native American flute, synthesizer washes and a sort of Flamenco approach to the solos. There are some didgeridoos in the mix as well.

I was asked to create something sort of 'aboriginal' and could've gone what I suppose would be straight tribal, but was sort of at a loss as to how that might be brought about with an uptempo and modern sort of feel. My aborigine playbook isn't exactly spilling over with tunes. However, I love great Australian pop-rock, and one thing that stands out in this music are dry, dusty solos that aren't fancy - yet carry the weight of red rocks and sand with burning heat.

To create the haunting foundation for the track, I chose a minor key, in this case B minor. The progression is very sympathetic with open D tuning on a dulcimer:

Bm - E - G - A

You can play E on the dulcimer in dd-A-D tuning (5-6+-8) but to keep things in the same range as the rest of the chords (played within the first four frets), I barred at the first fret, effectively an E5 chord - so named because it has no defining third (and with no major or minor third, it can substitute for either.)

The chorus goes:

A - G - D - G

A - G - Bm

Which brings us back into the verses.

This is a rough mix with plenty of E.Q. left to do - but I like to post these tracks as they are, to show the progress of "opening up the soundstage."

Red-Headed Lover: New Demo!

Though she heard it while I was working on it yesterday, I don't think Jae knows that this tune was written for her as a Valentine's gift. She'll hear it in a little bit, but I got up early to do a little more tweaking on it. It's a demo, of course. I know a band that could play the hell out of this tune.

Not all blues tunes are depressing; some celebrate good times and I wanted to write something like that, also poking a little fun at your standard blues lines ("woke up this morning", "my baby done left me") while still penning a sweet little valentine for my valentine. The sassy lead lick came to me yesterday while starting to work out the tune - initially serving as a melodic prompt, I only use it as the melody in the first verse, and then go to more standard blues phrasing. The dulcimer carries the lick throughout the rest of the song. Not bad for a quick demo, huh?

Red-Headed Lover
Music and Lyrics by Bing Futch
Copyright © 2009 J.O.B. Entertainment Inc.

I've got a woman, she treats me so fine
I've got a woman, she treats me so fine
she's my red-headed lover, she's my valentine

woke up this morning, who's right there by my side?
woke up this morning, who's right there by my side?
she says, "come over here, baby - let's go for a ride."

my baby, she done left me and threw me off my track
my baby up and left me and threw me off my track
she said, "I'm just goin' to the store, honey and I'm comin' right back"

one and one is two, two and six is eight
ate up 'bout my baby, now let's get something straight
I've got a woman, she treats me so fine
she's my red-headed lover-girl, she's my valentine

she's my red-headed lover-girl, she's my valentine

2/13/09
for Jae

White Sandy Beach

I'm doing some crazy, experimental recording tonight, er, this morning. Here's a sample - let me know what you think!



Tune is by Willie Dan, my version is inspired by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and can be seen also in this video:



Thanks for checking it out! I'll be removing the MP3 from the server at some point, so if you come back and it's not here, `A`ole hiki ke `alo a`e, that's life!

NAMM Jam

Click image to play movie

This video is from the weekend of the 2009 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, California. While trying out my new Folkcraft double-neck, I was joined by keyboardist Scott May of The Ides Of March on a Hohner Melodica in the lobby of the Holiday Inn. Cool stuff! Thanks to Nick Young for the video (and for the dulcimer.)


Watch this video

Mountain Dulcimer - Dulcimerica Video Podcast #111

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Yesterday

Flying over central Florida in the afternoon is a beautiful experience. The sun sparks fire as it reflects within the many faces of lakes scattered across the landscape, leaping from point to point like heat lightning. The Mid-Winter Dulcimer Festival was tremendous fun and a success for organizer Joe Collins, who said that it was the most densely populated event in the festival's ten years.

After a busy morning of registration and some pre-workshop purchases from the vendor tables, folks got a welcome from Joe and an introduction of the instructors; Alan Darveaux, Wayne Seymour, Margit Roberson, Nancy Galambush, Joe and me. Margit and Nancy are also part of Flat Mountain Dulcimers along with Margit's husband Dave.



Workshops were packed with all skill levels from rank beginner to advanced students, all looking to expand their range of playing. My "Get Rhythm" class, half of whom are shown here, was 40 people strong and nearly spilled out of our room. It was quite amazing to hear that many dulcimers in close quarters beating out grooves and polyrhythms. We were a voluminous group in more ways than one.

Concerts took place during the lunch hour and then in the evening. Joe was joined by his frequent music partner Mike McGee and they played some of the distinctively delicate and delightful tunes for which they're known. You'll be able to hear some of the proceedings on this week's episode of the DPNews Online Audio Podcast.

After all was said and done, the traditional dinner of Mexican food was on: why this has become a thing for me on the road, I have no idea. Fortunately, tiny Shelby, NC had Los Cabos, a new restaraunt (1203 East Marion St. - (704) 482-4584) and we got there in time to enjoy a nice meal. I had the California Burrito, which was just the right portion size and one of the best burritos I've ever had. Sitting there with Joe and Mike, it was nice to reflect back on the day's events, full of smiles and music and friends new and old. No wonder I love road-trippin' so much.


Today

It's all about production this week since the next festival gig isn't until March. This is a not-so-busy time of the year where I can get some recording done and continue work on the "Mountain Dulcimer In The Band" series. As usual, there's a flurry of podcast work to be done for both Dulcimerica and Dulcimer Players News, so that's what keeps me madly hopping today. That and perhaps a little gardening to ground me a bit after all that zooming around in the sky this past weekend.

Tomorrow

Jeff Hames' New and Young Dulcimer Players Forum will feature the topic "Intro To Music Theory" - forum begins February 10, 2009 at 8:00 pm central. I'm a forum host along with Lee Cagle, Jim Woods, Joe Collins, Ken Bloom, Erin Rogers and Butch Ross. Ask questions and get answers in real-time - this is great for folks who are wanting to cut right to the chase and dig in with their ongoing journeys on mountain dulcimer.

Always

Thanks for reading and for visiting all of the folks linked from the page. If you have any suggestions for topics on Dulcimerica or the DPN podcasts or even this blog, please don't hesitate to drop me a line at bing@JOB-Entertainment.com

Trouble with a capital "T"

New Tune!

The first round of new tunes is beginning to surface and the first one is a traditional blues number that has been cruising around in my noggin for awhile. I may upload a light demo this week as I toy around with some elements. Using Band-In-A-Box for the backing tracks, though I'll record this with Mohave, more than likely:

"Uphill In A Headwind"
Music and Lyrics by Bing Futch
Copyright © 2009 J.O.B. Entertainment Inc.

I got troubles on my mind
lord where do I begin? (2x)
feels like I'm runnin' to stand still, up hill in a headwind

you know I broke these chains so long ago
now I'm wearing them again (2x)
feels like I'm runnin' to stand still, up hill in a headwind

solo

I used to make good money
but that was long ago (2x)
you know these days I'm clipping coupons
every time I go to the store

don't you remember me, baby
I was the one who let you in (2x)
now you act like you don't know me
well, I thought you was my friend

solo

I got troubles on my mind
lord where do I begin? (2x)
feels like I'm runnin' to stand still, up hill in a headwind

====

Been putting Annie through her paces and she really howls on this tune - so an upload of backing tracks and dulcimer will come first - then, as I've worked out the vox and arrangement better, there will come stage two.

Mountain Dulcimer Podcast

Last night's podcast with Stephen Seifert was great - thanks to all who "attended" and were present in the chat room. If you missed it, the archive of the show can be found here.

On The Road, Er, In The Air Again

This weekend, I'll be at the Mid-Winter Dulcimer Festival in Shelby, North Carolina along with Joe Collins, Alan Darveaux, Wayne Seymour, Nancy Galumbush, Margit Roberson and Flat Mountain Dulcimers. The concert on Saturday night is free, if you're in the area - come on out! Information on the workshops is in the link above.

More later this week - I'm going back to writing.

2 Online Dulcimer Thing-a-majobbers

One's a podcast and one's a real-time forum; both of which you should check out on a regular basis if you're a player of or are interested in mountain dulcimers.

First is Stephen Seifert's "Mountain Dulcimer Folk" podcast which is going into its third year. I'll be talking with Stephen live on Monday, February 2, 2009. The show starts at 8 PM CST / 9 PM EST.

Second is Jeff Hames' New and Young Dulcimer Players Forum, which is going into its second year - a discussion group that meets monthly in real-time with a panel of instructors where folks can post questions and get responses immediately. The topic for the next session is "Intro To Music Theory" and I'm one of the forum hosts - you know how much I love the music theory. That's on February 10th at 8 pm central time.

Both of these, you should frequent on a regular basis to get and stay plugged-in to the mountain dulcimer world.

Mountain Dulcimer In The Band!

"Mountain Dulcimer In The Band (Book 1)" is now available! This instructional book features the music to 16 popular jam tunes and also comes with 2 CDs; one that demonstrates rhythmic and melodic jam techniques and another that serves as your own personal backing band for practice or live performance! A variety of different arrangements guide the player through song structure, soloing, strumming exercises, different time signatures, improvisation and tutorials on how to listen to the band. From Celtic and country to reggae and rock, it's a fun workout that's perfect for live performance preparation, solo with the backing tracks or with a real band! Songs include "The Boatman", "Road To Lisdoonvarna", "Amazing Grace", "Black Mountain Rag", "Rosin The Beau", "Mississippi Sawyer", "Hangman's Reel" and more! Click here to hear samples and order.

The Circle Of Fifths

Interactive Circle of Fifths User's Guide

The Interactive Circle of Fifths ("the Circle" for short) is a tool designed to help musicians to:

* figure out the key of a piece of music
* easily transpose music to a different key
* compose new music
* understand key signatures, scales, and modes

In many of my workshops, I teach an intro to the circle of fifths as a way of beginning to understand basic music theory. This is an excellent expose' on the circle and some of the ways in which it can be utilized.

This may hurt a little - but it's COOL!

Rock's Holy Grail

"The most famous chord in all of rock & roll" -- Rolling Stone Magazine, March 2001

"quirky, arresting, unmistakably original - the musical equivalent of the song's title" -- Mark Hertsgaard, A Day In The Life: The Music And Artistry Of The Beatles

"A hijacked church bell announcing the party of the year" -- Guitarist Magazine, December 2000

"[the opening chord] pretty much defined the sound of an era" -- Guitarist, Dec 2000

"The opening chord of the song was like an amazing wake-up call" -- Joey Ramone, Guitar World, August 2000

And so starts The Beatles' classic song (and film) "A Hard Day's Night". The song needs no introduction - that chord tells you all you need to know. Within a second of its jarring onset, you can identify the song. Not only that, but that chord IS rock 'n' roll. Like Michael Lewis in "The 100 Best Beatles Songs", I'm glad they removed John Lennon's count-in to the song - it wouldn't have been nearly so effective! I don't think there is any other chord in history that has received so much praise, and has courted so much controversy.

It's undoubtedly fantastic... but what the heck is it?

Sorry, little guy

Cold killed my catfish.

A plecostomus, to be exact; an algae-sucker meant for aquariums and ponds. A bottom-dweller. I dug us a pond last year and stocked it with about two dozen tiny goldfish and one large-ish pleco. The golds were about twelve cents apiece and were an experiment to test my ability to maintain a living aqua-system in our backyard. Life isn't cheap, whether you're a fish or a fowl, but placing expensive koi and carp into an untested hole in the ground wasn't first on my list of financial priorities.

The pleco was $11, but would serve a distinct purpose: to munch on the algae that was most assuredly going to bloom in the hot Florida sun. About 6" long and a giant among the other fish, he exhibited a ferocity indigenous to catfish in general and took a swipe at the nice lady who suggested him for my new pond. "He's a fighter," she said, slipping him into a bag with some water. Words that echoed in my brain every time I had to wade knee deep into the 900 gallon installation to fish out pump and fountain elements that had become happily disengaged from their connectors.

Actually, since day one, I never saw him again until this fateful night. I sent the goldfish in first, sort of like floating canaries in liquid coal mines and when none of them rose, gasping, to the surface of the pond, I then released Sir Pleco into the depths, where he promptly slipped to the bottom and remained there. The still-clear water afforded a good look at his fearsome visage, blending almost perfectly with the rubber pond liner. As algae and other organic elements (most notably fish poop and uneaten food) began to make the area look more lived-in, I imagined that he must be quite happy, eating his fill and holding court somewhere in the three-foot depths of our mini-lake. In fact, I always imagined him growing to shark-size down there, popping up in my face whilst I changed the pump filter, prompting me to shriek and fall back exclaiming, "we're gonna need a bigger pond."

As time went on, however, I began to wonder if he had actually croaked down there, stuck in one of the unplanned crevices in the liner that had resulted from my poor excavation (it's still a nice pond, but there are things that would be done differently next time.) Or perhaps he was taken by one of the egrets that sometime go stepping across our lawn. That theory didn't hold water, pun intended, because the two dozen goldfish were imminently more interested in swimming near the surface where they could easily be eaten by egrets, cats or anything else that hung about, yet they not only thrived, but indeed multiplied in time, growing as large as I imagined the pleco must be.

But alas, tonight, after two nights of hard freezes, I went out to feed our little finned family and saw something lying on the bottom of the pond in the shallow end underneath the yellow glare of landscaping lamps. A white shiny belly was reflecting the illumination ever so much and I immediately thought "oh no." Grabbing the net, I shooed the monster goldfish away and came up with my dear pleco; freshly dead. There was no sign of life and he had not yet begun to bloat (or float, for that matter). His head was covered in a bit of algae, at least proof positive that he had plenty of the stuff to eat while down there. Living in Florida, I sincerely didn't believe that our pond would get too cold for him. In fact, the lady at PetSmart said that he was an incredibly hardy fish. A little more research revealed that plecos prefer water temperatures between 82°F and 74°F - neither of which have been the constant in our pond for the last couple of weeks.

"Oh well, little guy," I said. "I hardly knew ye."

He's been buried in the backyard, hopefully not to end up as fodder for our resident mole or possum (or as a stinky plaything for our dog, Bella.) As a living creature, I respected his life, his existence and wish him safe journey to where ever he may be traveling next. For the short time that he lived in our eco-system, I hope he had a happy life, happier than living in a tank in a big box retail store. And upon reflection, I suppose the wonder will always be there: did the other fish know him? See him? Enjoy his company? And better still, will they miss him?

NAMMazing!

NAMM Show 2009 Video - Liunian Bian | NAMM.org

Attendees were treated to a moving performance on the erhu by Mr. Liunian Bian, who wrote the music for the Beijing Olympics closing ceremony.

We arrived in Anaheim on Wednesday night, checked into the Holiday Inn just around the corner from Disneyland and met up with Richard and Nick from Folkcraft, who brought my new axe along with them to the room. After drooling all over the fretboard, we headed out for dinner at Mama Cozza's (home of the world's largest fried cheese sticks) and then returned to the lobby of the HI where I got Annie and jammed for a while.

The next day, Jae and I met with her co-worker Michelle at the Grand Californian Hotel at the Disneyland Resort and enjoyed a nice character breakfast at the Storyteller's Cafe, where we enjoyed great grub and visits from Chip 'n Dale, Meeko, Koda and a swell bloody mary, among other beverages. Jae was well keyed-up for her visit and the character meet and greet was a theme for the day that sent her spinning back into early childhood; it was fun to see the park through her excited eyes.

We were there before park opening (thanks to Michelle and a special offer for guests of the resort) and closed the park down almost twelve hours later, with a side-journey into Disney's California Adventure, built on what used to be Disneyland parking lot. It pales in comparison to the original Disney experience, but we had some fun there, including free tortillas and the brightest green beer cups you ever saw.

Friday and Saturday, Jae was on her own as I went into NAMM and demonstrated mountain dulcimer at the Folkcraft booth. Each day, I played for about six hours, but it didn't seem that long at all, in fact, time went rushing by as folks stopped by. Friday morning, I attended the free NAMM breakfast and witnessed a performance by Liunian Bian on the erhu, which had been outfitted with a pickup from Roland Corp. As you can see and hear from the video, this was a stunning display of virtuosity and it whetted my appetite for more. However, besides catching a few snippets of demos here and there, I pretty much remained in the booth the entire time, save a couple of breaks to stroll with Jae, and didn't see much of the show - which was alright, because a good portion of the show seemed to come by our booth and see me. I made some decent connections, met some old and new friends, sold some CDs and got to play Annie a whole bunch. No complaints here.

Our plane was scheduled to leave on Sunday morning (Jae didn't realize that there was so much more NAMM going on - but it's just as well, might've spent a bunch of money that we didn't have) so we had a wonderful last night's dinner at El Torito (Mexican food rocks!) and hung out, playing music, in the HI lobby for awhile (the staff had asked me every night to come and play again) before bidding everyone a fond adieu.

Already, I'm looking forward to Summer NAMM in Nashville - and this time, we'll be hanging out for all of the days! Check out the many photos and videos on the NAMM website to see just how awesome this show was!

Playing to your audience

Playing To Your Audience - A Lesson From An Enterprising English Busker — SidSavara.com

We couldn’t believe it. Surely he knew the lyrics? While it is possible he didn’t, the quality of his singing, guitar playing and unmistakably being in England all suggested our busker should be familiar with the song. If he knew the full song, why not play it all the way through - why repeat the verse?

Thought Bubble Light Bulb CartoonThe answer I believe is this: Playing the first verse over and over again was more profitable than playing the full song.

Annie's Song

Annie has arrived and she's already seen many music miles (is that how you gauge something like playing non-stop? Mileage?)

She's a sweet and wonderful instrument, making her debut this week on the Dulcimerica podcast and on-stage at O'Doherty's Irish Pub. I'll post some sound samples in a little while.

At NAMM, she was a big hit with folks who stopped and stared, walked over and listened for a while. I was playing through a L.R. Baggs acoustic amplifier that was pretty wicked and brought me one step closer to deciding on a decent sound rig. If only they made a battery-powered cabinet. I was told about something called the Dawn system that also sounds mighty interesting. With two inputs, it's $400 less than the Bose L2 that I've been lusting after for awhile (Folkcraft will get me a unit at dealer cost, which helps.)

Of course, money would help greatly in aiding the decision-making process.

Dulcimer around the world

Fujii Takako

The page is mostly in Japanese, but there are plenty of links to this young singer/songwriter and guitar/dulcimer player!

Ears to hear

Good Ear - Online Ear Training Site

For a musician ear training is one of the most important tasks.

Good Ear helps you to develop good ears. It works within your browser.

This is an awesome resource. If you're wanting to understand intervals and chords better, this is a great way to go.

Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson

Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson Playing Together - CollegeHumor video

This would be seriously surreal if it didn't make such perfect sense.

The Sean Carney Band

I met these guys last year and have had the privilege to catch their show a few times now. Winners of the 2007 International Blues Challenge in Memphis and a seriously awesome blues trio, they just got back to the states after a two-month tour in Europe and their last stop was at McWell's in Orlando last night, no opening act; none needed.

Not only do they smoke, but they're all some of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet - and that goes a long way in this business.

Enjoy the time off, guys - and thanks for the great show!

Sleep When You're Dead

I've been up all night working on a new project and, I think you can relate with me, when the flow is flowing, that is the route in which you are going. Right. Right?

The project is a CD full of backing tracks for dulcimer players - popular jam tunes - an exercise to get them thinking about playing at certain speeds and with certain approaches. More instructional than entertaining, though it will still be very entertaining for people, since they'll be able to use these tracks in performance for any situation.

I'm sort of giddy right now - for so many reasons, one important factor being lack of sleep. Ahhh. Sleep is overrated. Are we guaranteed tomorrow? Hell no! Better get on the tarmac today!

What's this Twitter thing all about?

Flat World Schools SWOT: Twitter Tutorial

Twitter "is a free social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time. Each message is 140 characters or less in length, and is called a tweet." Tweets can be sent from computers, mobile phones, iPod/iTouch, etc. Using Twitter, you decide who to follow and allow people to follow you.

I wasn't exactly sure what to do with Twitter when I first signed on - but in the past 10 days, it's become more clear as I've done some research and gotten active. It's a lot more than typing "I'm eating pasta."

5 Tools For Musicians and Bands = Easier Life!

Kicknote.com: Reinventing the Music Industry: 5 Tools for Musicians & Bands to Make Your Life Easier

It's hard enough being in a band these days, why not take advantage of some useful shortcuts? Here are some that we found particularly useful:

This is a great read for solo musicians as well; many of us spend so much of our time doing the administrative stuff that our music suffers as a result. Marketing and promotion, web design, etc. - it can all add up to lots of time spent sitting in front of a computer rather than practicing your craft.

This blog offers some solutions in the form of web-sites that take care of some of that for you. Sweet!

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Folkcraft Double Neck Dulcimer, Custom Series, Black Walnut Body, Butternut Soundboard, Dolphin Tone Holes, Fishman Prefix Pro, Galax Back - Folkcraft Instruments, Inc.


In case the subject line needs some 'splainin'; that's me screaming like a little girl.

As part of my endorsement deal, here's what the fine folks at Folkcraft custom-built for me. She'll be waiting for me in Anaheim when Jae and I fly out there next Wednesday.

If I had a Delorean and some plutonium, it would be Wednesday in about two minutes.

Coming Up

Stephen Seifert is, in my opinion, the best mountain dulcimer player on the planet and it was through his helpful advice in 2005 that I finally got plugged into the festival scene. Since then, we've become friends and colleagues and really enjoy the times that we get to geek out over tech stuff and music.

Steve has a great show called "Mountain Dulcimer Folk Podcast" that is back after a hiatus; every Monday night at 8 pm CST/9 pm ET. I've called into the show a few times, but on February 2nd (Groundhog Day!), I'll be the main guest, talking with Steve and sharing about music, love, life and, probably, Waffle House. Check out his archives for many great shows featuring a literal who's who of the dulcimer world!

In Theory

Dolmetsch Online - Music Theory Online Contents

Another great site dealing with music theory. Sort of scary at first. But well worth the perusal.

Found on the internet

yarnporn.com » Blog Archive » For Jan

I could say that it doesn’t get much cooler than Bing Futch when it comes to hot electric dulcimer action. But I’ll let you decide for yourself.

It never fails to warm my heart when someone digs my music. It's also a kick to even be mentioned on a blog called "Yarnporn.com".

Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick....

METRONOME ONLINE - free!

How to use a metronome?

A metronome is a practice tool that produces a steady pulse (or beat) to help musicians play rhythms accurately. The pulses are measured in beats-per-minute (BPM). Most metronomes are capable of playing beats from 35 to 250 BPM. Common uses of the metronome are helping you to maintain an established tempo while practicing, and learning difficult passages.

There are different schools of thought on the use of a metronome for practice. Some say that the unerring pace of the beat is an unrealistic substitute for the ever-subtly fluctuating tempos of live performances. Others counter that the rigidity forces you to play smoother, cleaner and with more consistency. Personally, I find that a metronome trains me to be more accurate with my rhythms and also encourages me to keep a steadier tempo rather than speeding up, especially during slow passages. It's good to have a metronome in the house, and they don't have to be fancy (or antiquated like the one pictured here.) There are even a number of metronomes online and this is one of the coolest I've ever seen.

Try practicing a piece of music that you know at a slow, steady pace. Force yourself to stay in time with the beat. It's more difficult to play accurately at a lesser tempo than when the b.p.m. (beats per minute) accelerate. Want to learn a particularly difficult fiddle tune? Start off playing it slowly, not missing any notes, and when you've got it down, increase the tempo on the metronome slightly and then continue. Keep speeding up until you hit a snag and start messing up. Then, kick it back a notch and keep pressing forward. Before you know it, you'll be playing faster with better precision and can always adapt to a live environment when playing with others!

New Axes and NAMM

Spend Your Time Wisely at the 2009 NAMM Show: Use NAMM's Online Resources to Map Out Your Days in Anaheim | NAMM.org

Planning your days at the NAMM Show is simple—visit the show site to find out about NAMM University Breakfast Sessions and the Idea Center schedule, the PLAYback Supplement listing of events and performances, discounts for badged attendees and other general information. Log on now to plan ahead and help ensure a positive, successful show experience!

Dude, I am so getting excited about NAMM Show in Anaheim. Jae was pointing out some of the folks who are going to be demoing there and it's just insane. Insane, I tell you! Yngwie Malmsteen, Dick Dale, Atreyu, Michael Anthony, Nikki Sixx, Papa Roach, Pat Travers, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Snoop Dogg, REO Speedwagon, Alice In Chains, Skid Row, Corey Feldman (huh?) and some of the cats I met in '86 including Johnny Vatos and Alan Holdsworth. I haven't been since then when I demoed for Suzuki and that was a trip (played for Eddie Van Halen, met Lita Ford and Steve Bartek!) Now, I'll be demoing for Folkcraft Instruments and, to be honest here, I'm probably more excited about what Folkcraft president Richard Ash told me today on the phone; my new axe is almost ready.

Folkcraft has never built an instrument like this one before, but as part of my endorsement deal, they said to shoot for the moon. Whaddya do? Go conservative? Richard said that the final coat of lacquer went on today and that they're putting strings on it tomorrow; it's going to be waiting for me in Anaheim. It's gonna be a long week.

Cross-pollinating...

Key West Dulcimer Fest

I know it's a year away, but did you see how fast last year went slipping by?  January 28th-31st, 2010 is the date for the 1st Annual Key West Dulcimer Fest and I'm very, very stoked.  Take one of my favorite places in the world and combine it with my favorite instrument in the world, some of my favorite performers/instructors in the world and a whole bunch of my favorite people in the world - I just don't know if I'm gonna be able to contain my joy over the next year.

Thankfully, I get to skip down to Key West a few times this year, including our annual May stopover, which will be a big fifth wedding anniversary and vow renewal blow-out for Jae and I.  We were married in Key West and so it really does hold a special significance for us.  And even if it didn't, the place just simply rocks.

Backyard chillin'

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Simon Brothers Mercantile: The Real Deal!

Roosevelt, Texas « A Landing a Day

Travelling through the westernmost stretches of the Hill Country on Interstate 10, the speed limit is 80 mph through Kimble county. But 18 miles west of the city of Junction, release the cruise control, take the Roosevelt exit onto Loop 291 and stop to experience Simon Bros. Mercantile, a general store containing a picturesque post office, antiques, cafe, gasoline and much more.

Well talk about stumbling upon something. This story from Fall of 2007 by Wanda Blackburn was reposted last month on "A Landing A Day"; a weblog by graywacke. Now, I didn't know this, but apparently the lyrics to "Simon Brothers Mercantile", which I wrote back in 2001, are actually posted on the Simon Brothers website.

It all brings back rather nice memories of the place - the song still hasn't been recorded by a full band, but I've performed it in a few places and, sure enough, a video from a performance at Jerry Rockwell's SEODFest in Ohio (2006) is also posted on the Simon Brothers site. The web truly makes this a small world (and an even smaller country.)

Gotta stop in and say "howdy" to Clay next time I'm driving down Interstate 10 - maybe this summer. And hopefully, the Back Door Cafe will be open this time!

Can't find the right rhyme?

Online Rhyming Dictionary for Poetry and Songwriting

Who says nothing rhymes with "orange"?

Ten Ways To Improve Your Playing in 2009

Happy New Year! As you can see, it's taken me a few days to get posting because I've been reading manuals for new software and doing lots of jamming. Many people make their resolutions in December and pledge to keep them, whether they involve a new diet or financial goals or getting rid of bad habits. One of the many good habits you might've decided to embrace for 2009 has to do with your music; I know I did! This year, as any other year, I want to work towards being a better player and if you're with me on that, here are ten ways to improve your playing in the new year:

1. Set aside time - we all get busy and this year will be no exception. However, in order to improve anything, you need to invest time. Make your music important enough where it doesn't fall by the wayside. Schedule a "date" with yourself as often as possible to let the music flow.

2. Join a group - playing by yourself is always rewarding, but so is joining a local dulcimer group where you'll be able to exchange ideas, pick up new tunes and learn to play well with others.

3. Study theory - I know, it sounds like a number of things including "boring" and "stressful", but music theory doesn't have to be a painful experience. In fact, I tell my students that we all know music theory, we just don't know all the fancy words. Interactive sites like teoría - Music Theory Web are painless ways of getting into the basics of theory and allowing yourself to build up the tools necessary for better, stronger playing.

4. Exercise - many of us like playing tunes, either through tablature or by picking out notes by ear. This is great for learning songs. Couple this with practicing technique, simply running scales up and down the fretboard or playing licks using a number of ornamentations like hammer-ons and pull-offs; this is kind of like working out in the gym before the big track meet or game. Hand-in-hand, exercises and tunes equal better playing!

5. Listen - whether on YouTube or one of the many tune sites (such as The Session), we often improve by imitation. By expanding our horizons towards music that we may not be familiar with, we also increase potential for getting more music out of ourselves and instruments.

6. Book A Gig - nothing gets you in a preparatory mode like practicing for an upcoming gig. Book something semi-casual, like performing with a group at the library, or by yourself for a hospice home. Heck, next time someone in your family has a birthday, volunteer to sit in a corner and strum. With ears listening, you will be focused on playing your best.

7. Take some workshops or lessons - whether in person or online, having an instructor lead you through your paces is a great way to improve your playing. Self-discovery is, of course, all part of the deal. But it helps to have someone who can watch your hands as you play and suggest things to consider as you continue your journey playing mountain dulcimer.

8. Be tough, but loving - Any successful player knows that you've got to enjoy what you do, take your successes as victory, just as you continue to challenge yourself with things that are more difficult. In all of your practice-times, rehearsals and gigs - be sure to appreciate what it is that you've done well! At the same time, be sure to always push for the next level. That's the only way to insure growth.

9. Treat yourself - you've worked hard! Nothing says "I'm worth it" more than a new axe, er, dulcimer. Just like certain cars ride better than others, some dulcimers just play and sound better. If you've been plinking away on that old starter dulcimer for years now, perhaps this is the year where you save up and get yourself a next generation model. The reward will be in how great it sounds and how great it makes you feel - a worthwhile investment.

10. Channel You - nobody can play what you can play, so channel everything you've got into your music. Even if you're performing with others, there is a unique voice that you bring to the table through your interpretation of the notes and rhythms. Don't be afraid to be different in that respect - it's a gift that only you can bring!

I'll let you in on a little secret. Instructors sit behind closed doors and do the same things that you're doing; pushing to improve, working hard to get rid of bad habits and stressing over certain seeming inabilities. I was tweeting with a player recently who said that he was a little green in playing the dulcimer. To which I tweeted back "as players, we are all varying shades of green." I got news for you. There is no "top of the hill." Even the best players in the world are finding new challenges every day to keep them motivated, whether it be goals for playing or for communicating ideas and emotions - if you find that you've run out of challenges, chances are you've stopped growing as a musician! So enjoy the journey, take the victories and embrace the rough stuff. It's kind of like life, isn't it?

Welcome to the dead of winter

This holiday season was fun; more than ever Jae and I were looking forward to all the events, shows, get-togethers, parties, Disney parks and having family over for Christmas. And it all started early this year when I began recording "Christmas Each Day" in August - so we've had our share of Christmas music around the casa. Happy to say that we're just going to chill at the homestead on New Year's Eve, which means that this is effectively the Dead Of Winter.

Joy!

I love being busy, but I also love the quiet, non-busy times when there's not a whole lot of commotioning going on. Time to just sit down with the dulcimer and let go. Work on learning tunes or writing tunes, exercising towards the ever-present goal of improvement. Thinking about future projects and shoring up the foundations for them; woodshedding, basically. We don't have one of those. But if we did, I'd be out in it, head bent over a dulcimer and cutting loose.

The new Greibhaus arrived on Christmas Eve (so I named her "Eve", natch) and I'm sending "Paloma Blanca" back to Jerry for refinishing before he puts her on the market. After a few gigs, I realized that some of the tone/sound controls were getting in the way of my strumming. After talking with Jerry, he created a new configuration for those controls, which I tried out up at the NGFDA Fall Festival. The lovely sunburst design was another step in the right direction and I had him install the 1+ and 8+ frets so I could continue to explore that world. "Eve" is just as sweet-sounding as "Paloma Blanca", but with an added bit of punch in tone and a more solid fretboard which cancels out finger-knocking. The recessed tone switch makes it easier to strum without obstruction and also allows me to anchor while finger-picking or palm-muting. I still have to get strap buttons installed (our drill died) and then give her the stand-up performance test.


"Dawn" was one of Jae's Christmas gifts to me this year (hence the name, dawn of a new day) and is pretty special; she did a little research on this one. It's a 1970's era Cripple Creek Dulcimer, teardrop design much like the first Cripple Creek that I ever bought. It was during the summer of 1986 that I worked for Bud and Donna Ford there in the Knott's Berry Farm shop and I sold many instruments just like this one. It sounds great and Jae figured I'd hang it on a wall somewhere, but I've been playing it quite a bit. It's neat having a purely traditional dulcimer (no 6+ fret) that sounds decent - I use the dulcimers that Jae gets online for student loaners, but I'm not sure this one is going home with anybody!

Current Workings

Now that "Christmas Each Day" is finished, having sold quite a few copies at shows this past month and it's now available through iTunes and CD Baby. It's doubtful that I'll record a Christmas album annually, most artists tend to wait a few years before they offer another edition of Christmas tunes. Part of the reason for that is that you've got such a narrow window for sales - perhaps people will purchase some during the year in preparation for the holidays, but not many folks apply that much forethought to their music selection. Next on the to-record list is "Dulcimerica: Volume 2", the follow-up to my mountain dulcimer instrumental debut. Concurrently, there will be some original spaced-out composition going on, I'm sure - which will lead to something wacky in the spring. I've been itching to do something really progressive.

Work on "The Glasgow Reel" continues - I've got it memorized and am working with speeding it up before I begin improvisation. Last night, I tabbed out an arrangement of "Beauty and the Beast" that I'd like to have prepared for festival season when it comes around (won't be long now!)

Next month, Jae and I head to Anaheim, California (home of Disneyland!) for the NAMM Show, which is a bi-annual trade show of sorts for music merchants and manufacturers. I'll be at the Folkcraft Instruments booth demonstrating mountain dulcimer and kicking off the new year with a focus on this new endorsement. Hope everybody had a great month and that you'll have a wonderful New Year's celebration filled with promise, hope and, most of all, love!

Oh no, Ohana!

When Ohana opened at the Polynesian Resort in Walt Disney World around 1996 or so, it was a lot more involved than it is these days. There was much more formal goings-on, still centered around the 30-foot fire pit and the delectable courses of meat and veggies served out of it. Over the years, the pageantry and menu have changed, but the Ohana experience remains, at its core, all about great food, great entertainment and an awesome sense of belonging to the coolest family on the islands. During my time working with the Disney Fans bulletin board on the old Prodigy Service, we were at Ohana sometimes weekly, either introducing groups of visitors to the place or just coming to kick up our heels and hang with the crew, which included a stellar troika of entertainers in Kaleo, Kawelo and Lipoa.

All three would play ukelele and stroll through the restaurant, serenading diners, engaging cousins in conversation (at Ohana, everyone is family, therefore the term "cousins" applies all around) and rounding up kids and grown-ups alike for various activities such as coconut races, dancing the hula or appeasing the angry fire gods after requesting salt, pepper or other insulting condiments. As Kaleo always said, "those of you expecting a quiet dining experience; forget it." Ohana has always been bustling with energy, all the more balanced when combined with the ridiculous amounts of food that get served to your table (Kaleo also liked to say, "here at Ohana, you don't eat till you're full - you eat till you're tired.") The trio (there were others, but many didn't stay for long) did other things around the Polynesian Resort, from the main luau to ceremonies around the property. For the 25th anniversary of Walt Disney World, Kaleo wrote the resort's official theme song and was often seen zipping between Ohana and other places to perform. They kept him hopping. Lipoa has also been MVP and between her and Kaleo - they've managed to become the voices and faces of the Poly.

Over the years, our trips to Ohana have dwindled in number (something had to give - weekly blasts of steak, pork, chicken and shrimp can add unto you, and how) but we've always been greeted as family by those there who remembered us, most namely Kaleo and Lipoa, who would make it a practice to come sit at our table during breaks from the show and catch up on what was happening with our respective "real world" lives. As Ohana got more popular, it became necessary to get reservations in order to dine there and pretty soon, it became required knowledge to book them far in advance. I tried mightily and failed to get reservations for last Saturday evening when Jae and I planned on visiting the Magic Kingdom for the first time in five years (we usually go to Epcot.) Still, we figured on taking the monorail over and maybe getting an appetizer in the Tambu Lounge, some drinks, perhaps catch some of Kaleo's act and say 'hello.'

I saw Kaleo preparing to perform after we had ordered a platter and the host stand was mobbed - we put our name in and were told it was a two-hour wait. The big banner saying "Aloha Kaleo" struck me as some kind of prop - but I somehow managed to miss the balloons and signs saying "we'll miss you." Kaleo turned from his business plugging in cables and greeted me warmly, saying that I was just in time to catch his last night.

"Last night?" I said, aghast. Without breaking his smile he said that it was so. Disney had told him a week ago that they were letting him go.

Unbelievable! No kind of notice after 18 1/2 years working for the company; I asked if they were giving him a decent severance package to which he replied calmly, "no severance." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The Poly's MVP big kahuna was getting the bum's rush; if there ever was a signal that Disney was prone to shooting themselves in the foot, this was it.

"You picked up some kind of signal, to be here this night," he said, still smiling. And perhaps maybe he was right. So Jae and I moved from the bar and got a seat by the front of the stage and listened to Kaleo's golden voice as he sung beautiful Hawaiian music. Asking if I wanted to hear anything, I requested his 25th Anniversary song, to which he replied, "wow - let's see if I can remember it" before launching into the tune like it had been written just that week. "Let aloha make all your dreams come true," he crooned and for a moment, we were back in the heyday of Ohana, when the menu was at its peak and the vibe was fun-crazy instead of turn-over table-tops crazy. No doubt that Ohana is more than likely a cash-cow for Disney - which is why it's so mystifying that they'd lay off one of its star-performers.

Lipoa was working the restaurant and she too was amazed at the news - wondering if maybe she wasn't going to be next. At one time, the Ohana experience could be considered casual dinner theater - a musical revue of culture and kindness that left everyone feeling happy and just a little bleary-eyed. It wasn't uncommon back in the day to spend three to four hours in the dining hall, rubbing our swelled tummies and getting up to participate in the ongoing sport taking place in the center of the hall. Many great memories there - some awkward and unusual ones too, in all - indicative of life, we'd been through it all there.

There was a tinge of sadness as we dined last night, though I still got up to limbo and shared a dance with Jae, receiving two flower leis and a kiss on the cheek from Lipoa. I made a phone call to friends Katie and Tina to let them know it was Kaleo's final night and, after giving him a hug and promising to keep in touch, we headed back out to the park to hit our short list of things we wanted to do before heading home. My friends informed me that they were able to come out and that the Tambu Lounge was packed, giving Kaleo a standing ovation at the conclusion of his set.

I dropped him an e-mail today inquiring about a letter-writing campaign. Enough names on a petition could show Disney brass that they are toeing the bottom line and making bad choices in the name of so-called good business. An Ohana without Kaleo or Lipoa is an Ohana with piped-in music that becomes just another buffet in the history of the Disney parks. Kaleo and Lipoa bring authenticity to the Polynesian resort, along with warmth, humor, grace and first-rate talent. Few visitors to Ohana can say they've not been touched by either of these top-flight and down-to-earth personalities. What is Disney thinking?

I'll tell you what they're NOT thinking, and that's "straight." As we left the parks, we passed by Disney's Wide World of Sports, the huge, garish monument to Michael Eisner's sports infatuation that gets used far less than you would imagine (just like the huge IRL racing oval in the Magic Kingdom parking lot that is home basically for the Richard Petty Driving Experience.) There was nothing going on there this late at night, yet most, if not all, of the high-watt stadium lamps were blazing away at the darkness, attracting flurries of Osceola County flying insects and casting an un-earthly glow against the Saturday evening sky.

Why, if they turned off those useless lamps when the park was empty, with the money they saved, they could afford to keep Kaleo on where he would happily continue to do what he's been doing at Disney for the past 18 1/2 years; making music and smiles a regular part of the Polynesian Resort experience. If everyone who has ever had occasion to meet Kaleo at the luau or in the resort lobby, or at Ohana or in the Tambu Lounge, if they all sent a polite letter to Disney requesting that Kaleo be reinstated, I'll bet they would need to create a new post office box simply to handle the demand. If nothing else, Disney needs to know what it truly is that we admire about Ohana; not just the food and the fun, but the people at the heart of it all.

Christmas Music Streaming

There's over 15 hours of holiday tunes on my Christmas playlist and it's cycling pretty much continuously on the laptop. The tracks are pretty varied, from your basic standards to really "out there" pieces. The first link below will key you into the live music stream, which I may manipulate and break into live depending on listener ship. The second link is a list of what tunes have been played recently, just to give you an idea of the range going on here.

http://97.100.112.166:8000/listen.m3u - Listen!

http://www.last.fm/user/bingfutch - Playlist

Tracks include tunes from my latest album "Christmas Each Day" and involve everyone from Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sting, U2, The Darkness, Slade, Disney Theme Park Tracks, Dolly Parton, Josh Groban, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Brian Setzer, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Wham!, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Adam Sandler and you won't believe who else. It's work-safe and full of fun - so pull it up and let it rip! Happy Holidays!