Catching Up With Dulcimerica

On Vacation

I've been relaxing for the first time in months! So updates have been either:

a) slow

b) few

c) nonexistent.

But that will change in November when I officially get back on track. In the meantime, I do believe the backyard hammock is calling.

Wrestling with it

This week marks the last of the major tour excursions for this year as I travel back to Beaumont, Texas for a show at the Logon Cafe this coming Saturday night and then carry on to Austin for a show there (while staying with Scandinavian dulcimer virtuoso Mark Gilston) and finally wrapping things up in Bennington, Oklahoma at the Winter Creek Reunion for an unprecedented second year in a row.

Besides my regular Wednesday night gig at McWell's and two more festival gigs in November, I'm pretty much done for the year 2010, which means a few very important things. More time spent at home with the family, in the garden and catching up on all the new projects that have been brewing over the past year. Honestly? I'm behind on my list of things to do. But this has been the busiest year of my career and a highly rewarding one - I just wish I had staff! Working for myself is highly rewarding, but you begin to reach a diminishing law of returns; a cap on what is eventually possible because one person can only do so much. Between making music, teaching, keeping tabs on all the administrative stuff, booking shows and festivals, shooting and editing video, etc., it feels sometimes like I'm wrestling alligators.

That's why I've slowly been removing things from my plate all season and trying to find a way to delegate some of what I do to others. That began in earnest this week as I discovered someone to take over designing reigns on my oh-so-cluttered website. What a blessing that is! I've also made a pretty big decision, though it wasn't too difficult. Except for my own productions, I'm no longer doing any videography work. It just takes too much time away from music, which has largely been the main focus for a couple of years. I may do the occasional outside project, if the price is right, but for the most part it will all be internal shoots and edits.

That frees up even more time to write, rehearse, teach and otherwise continue to "become." It's been incredibly humbling and flattering to have students, festival organizers, fellow instructors, performers and fans of music lay kudos on me, some with the idea that I've reached the top of my game. However, every day that I live and breathe is spent climbing the mountain because, as an artist, plateaus aren't the way to go. It should never be "it" - you should never have "enough." There's always room for improvement, clarification, imagining the possibilities. That sort of thing takes time and effort, continuously pushing for better. Every once in a while it's good to sit back and reflect upon the journey thus far, seeing how far you've come and what you've accomplished. Then, when you've caught your breath and become appreciative of your trip up the mountain, it's time to grab ahold of some rock and start climbing towards the next ledge heading skyward. Does the ascent ever cease? Not while you breathe, it shouldn't. The zenith isn't so much insurmountable as it is taller than your dreams. For each level you attain, your dreams shift and change, grow more vivid and include bigger things. And while you can always sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labors, there's always just a little something else that will plus that experience.

This fall is going to be a serious sort of mountain climbing - Half-Dome in scope. So many things I still wish to accomplish and won't be able to until I take slow, methodical action to engage the side of the cliff and put some sweat into it. Some of that may involve sitting down with an instrument and studying. Some parts may be simply existing with others, sharing life's moments and gaining inspiration from the day to day, or weeding in the garden and gathering wisdom from the soil. The School of Life is everywhere and all we have to do is look and apply.

But first, we have to make room for it in our rucksacks, or it will just fall down the side of the mountain. And at the bottom of the mountain are just a bunch of alligators, ready to be wrestled.

Dive!: The Update

As I posted here, the album Dive! is an ongoing work of raw passion that is serving as my personal psychotherapy. I hope it's enjoyable to listen to - at the same time that I'm not terribly concerned with that. The line between art and entertainment is very much intact with this one.

That said, it's taking quite a while to write and record for a number of reasons and I'm not going to rush it. Originally planned as a spring release, then a fall debut, now - I'm quite sure that it's going to drop when it damn well wants to, even though we're quickly approaching a usable number of tracks. It just doesn't feel complete yet - and until it does, work will continue. Some other recordings may surface before then - in fact, I've decided on a couple of concepts that will probably be out in time for Christmas, but we'll see. One will be called "xxx Days" and will reflect a stretch of recording whatever leaps into my mind for x number of days (be very scared of that one.) The other will be an instrumental album of lullabies. The first tune, "Dare To Dream" began to take form yesterday.

It's been a bit of a tug-of-war, recording Dive! As I've explained to a few people, it hearkens back the Castaway trilogy that I released in the late 80's - songs of such brutal honesty and vein-opening candor that I can't believe anyone actually bought the stuff. But that was the artistic outpouring of a young twenty-something still not quite sure what the deal in life was all about. Dive! is more reflective and, perhaps, still very restless. My biggest worry is that people will either be put off by the edge of it, or shocked by the admissions, or even still, convinced that everything they hear will be a statement of absolute fact and conviction. Some of this stuff will be fictional - and then again, some of it won't be. There's the danger - in trusting that people will know the difference.

Basically, I don't care.

To paraphrase Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas, what you've got in you, bring it forth and it will save you. What you've got in you, keep it hidden and it will kill you. Music is a pressure release, an avenue of emotion, and for so long, ever since those early records, I've kept myself just a little bit removed from the subject matter I sing. This summer, I began to take down the shields, open the curtains and once again let it all hang out. The response has been encouraging, and with that behind me - Dive! is once again chugging into balls-out territory.

Some of the songs I thought would be on the record are no longer passing muster, tunes like "April Fools" and "I Am An Artist". They've gone by the wayside in favor of fresher, more accurate tunes that will weave all of the album together into something that actually makes sense when listened to as a whole. The latest addition to the roster came about as kind of a surprise and basically wrote itself. Cobbled together and cannibalized out of a tune called "Your Dreams And You" which had lyrics written in October of 2006, the basic feel and chord changes came to me this morning while I was preparing to continue work on the lullaby waltz "Dare To Dream." Obeying the muse, and thanking her for returning this way, I leapt right into it, knowing that a chromatic dulcimer would be needed for the changes. Influenced by the great Sam Phillips and urged on by the recent work of She & Him, it's a deceptively perky tune about the falling away of scales, the healing of wounds through deliberate emotional self-mutilation; the retraining of a barren heart. This is "How To Cry":


How To Cry
Music and Lyrics by Bing Futch
© Copyright 2010 J.O.B. Entertainment Inc.

raindrops are falling from the sky
blue eyes have come to say goodbye
no reason to be upset
I've finally gotten used to it - since you taught me how to cry

I couldn't move and couldn't speak
back then I was such a freak
didn't know and sure didn't care if
the world reflected in my stare took notice - till you taught me how to cry

bridge -

every window shows a scene
close enough to touch, and when you do
fingers leave a smudge on the glass in between
your dreams and you

you came from miles and miles away,
didn't even know the time of day
found you sleeping in my yard
come, let's go stroll the boulevard - won't you teach me how to cry?

bridge -

raindrops are falling from the sky
this is where love comes to die
right here on the highest shelf
what's wrong, don't you recognize yourself - the one who taught me how to cry?
you're the one that taught me how to cry

You can hear a rough demo of this tune over at Reverbnation.

Now that things have slowed down a bit, I expect production to pick up on this album and the other projects. I've decided NOT to produce any more Mountain Dulcimer In The Band books until these recordings are finished. It's hard enough to focus without too many things going on at once.

That is the update - and I'm going back to working on this tune.

Dulcimerica 168 - "Key West Dulcimer Fest Pt. 10"

Videos from Bluegrass Creek

2010 Bluegrass Creek with Bing and Guy George.wmv

Aloha from Evansville, Indiana!

Check out video of me and Guy George performing "Shady Grove" and "Road To Lisdoonvarna" at Bluegrass Creek Dulcimer Festival.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir_LQmkHffI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

This e-mail was brought to you by aloha and iPhone!

Travel

It's interesting what playing mountain dulcimer in an airport will do. People move closer to you, ask questions, and in what is ultimately the biggest blessing, thank you for playing.

It's a great way to pass the time between flights and also an opportune moment to introduce or re-introduce the instrument to people. One of my favorite things about flying with the dulcimer.

Cabin doors are closing - next stop: Evansville, Indiana.

Dulcimerica 167 - "Key West Dulcimer Fest Pt. 9"

Manitou music

We're en route to Denver after a crazy couple of days at the Mountain Music Festival. Manitou, the group, had a semi-reunion in the town where we were first brought together.

Dave Batti and Quintin Stephens weren't able to join us, but with the remaining collective (me, Robert Force, Roger Zimish, Bud Ford III and Judy Piazza.) on-stage, coupled with the magic of the area's energy, the spirit returned and the music flowed as it has always.

It's hard to blog in the vehicle, so until Denver....

Hello from Manitou Springs

Dulcimerica Updates!

Back On The Mountain

Jae and I rode into Black Mountain, North Carolina while the Sourwood Festival was in full swing. The tiny downtown was stacked with traffic as people sought parking spaces. We were headed to Cabin Creek Lodge, our digs for the weekend during which Steve and Kay Fernandez would renew their wedding vows high up on the mountain. Steve and Kay are good friends and have had me over at their Orlando home for a couple of house concerts - they also come out regularly to see me at Dicey Reilly's (now, once again, called O'Doherty's) and had asked me to participate in their ceremony, providing music.

Not only was it an honor to do so, but they also booked me into the Town Pump Tavern for a post-ceremony/reception party. The Town Pump Tavern has been around for 30 years and is a magical little place with a warm feel (partially due to the lay-lines that intersect at the stage.)

Just prior to our time in Black Mountain, Jae and I had stopped in Asheville and spent a couple of days there exploring the place. It was great to be back in the Swannanoa Valley and to be sharing it with her - even though the winding roads to get here nearly took her out. An avowed flatlander, Jae has a low tolerance for heights and curves.

All in all, it made for a magical weekend and the pictures from this North Carolina leg of the tour can be found here.

The Town Pump Tavern gig was a lot of fun (again, I played for three hours straight before a broken string forced me to take a four minute pause) and I'm looking forward to coming back some day. In the meantime, the next gigs on the horizon are this coming Friday at McWell's in Orlando; Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom on August 31st with Manitou and a return to The Logon Cafe in Beaumont, Texas on September 25th! Details on these shows can be found by checking out my gig calendar at http://tinyurl.com/bingcalendar!

Have a great week and thanks to everyone who made this weekend such a blast!

Ending On A High Note

The Swannanoa Gathering rolls out over the course of five weeks in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with the final week devoted to the music of mountain and hammered dulcimer. It was my first time experiencing this mix of community, family, instruction and beauty, leaving me breathless from the journey. Besides wonderful students in intensive workshops throughout the week, the fantastic fellowship among everyone, the gorgeous campus of Warren Wilson College and incredible food in the cafeteria and during mid-morning breaks, there was plenty of jamming to be had and evening concerts that entertained as well as enlightened. I, once again, had the distinct pleasure of sharing the stage with Ken Bloom and Ken Kolodner at the Monday night instructor concert, as well as joining Kolodner and Rob Brereton during the informal lunchtime concert series.

Jae and I are actually heading back up to this area of North Carolina this weekend to spend time with friends who are having a vow rededication ceremony in the mountains. I'm looking forward to sharing this beautiful spot of the country with my wife and also getting a chance to explore it some more, as I never left the campus during the week, picking and visiting and hanging around near the beer tent with the other students and instructors (now, a dulcimer festival with a beer tent, that's a novel idea!)

Next up: I'll be starting early tomorrow night at McWell's (5 pm) and performing throughout the evening for Simon Time Trivia, which begins at 8 pm. Then, Manitou is having a partial reunion in Manitou Springs, Colorado on Saturday, August 28th where our album "In The Garden Of The Gods" was recorded, followed by a gig at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in Denver on Tuesday, August 31st. After that, I'm actually home for awhile (imagine that.)

I'm working on getting back into the groove of things - including updating "Dulcimerica" - but for now, I'll settle for cleaning the studio, getting caught up with e-mail and, of course, picking.

Texas Sized Fun!

Well, to say that I had a blast in Texas is sort of understating the plot point. The Bayou City Music Festival was a lot of fun in Houston while t.v. appearances, workshops and a wild three-hour show at the Logon Cafe organized by Linda and Barry Evans of Sweet Sounds Dulcimer Shop was an exciting end to this stopover in the Lone Star State. I'll be back in September. Check out my three friends Gwennie (with floppy ears), Molly (all shaved up) and Briona (whom you can't miss, even if you tried.)



Now, I'm en route to Kentucky Music Weekend in Louisville. Here's a great summation of what I'll be doing there along with Stephen Seifert, from Stephen's page:

"Bing Futch and I will be teaching, performing, and contest judging THIS WEEKEND at Kentucky Music Weekend 2010 in Louisville, KY. Here's the details:
Mountain Dulcimer Workshops

10 to 11:30 AM, Saturday, July 31 - Bing Futch and I are each preparing a 90-minute lesson plan covering a kind of greatest hits of each of our most popular topics. ($20 per person) We are both presenting our material in a way that easily scales from novice to intermediate. Before we begin, we'll each talk briefly about what we're going to teach so we can split into separate groups. In addition, we will both be available throughout the weekend for private lessons at $25 per half hour. If you want to be a better player, we want to help. Just let us know.

Performances

I will be performing a 20 minute set during Friday night's concert while Bing will be performing a 20 minute set during Saturday night's concert. You might catch us both sitting in on other sets as well.
Contest

I don't care how good a player you think or don't think you are. Come to this contest and play something you've been playing for a while. Don't try anything new. Some years, there's not very many contenders. Seriously, come give it a shot."

Thanks, Steve!

Now, I'm checked into a place in Forest, Mississippi where there is a Mexican restaurant within sight across the parking lot. How cool is that? Looks like I have a date with destiny. See you soon.

Houston Means That I'm One Day Closer To You

Had a great time at the Indiana Dulcimer Festival - huge thanks to Richard Ash and everyone at Folkcraft who made this event happen. Looks like you have really started something! See a neat article here. Pictures and video are now being posted on the IDF official website.

Got home and had just enough time to pack, go to Epcot to see 2U, and then roll out for Houston, Texas where I'm now getting ready for the second day of the Bayou City Music Festival. This is my first official show in the Lone Star State and they aren't kidding about Texas hospitality (though I had a taste of that at the Winter Creek Reunion last year, where I'll be returning in October.)

Looking forward to another fun couple of days of music before heading out to Beaumont Texas on Monday to teach a workshop and perform at the Logon Cafe.

Be sure to check my Facebook page for tons of video and pictures from this final leg of summer tour!

To all who come to this happy place...

I'm safely ensconced at the hotel in Woodburn, Indiana where the first annual Indiana Dulcimer Festival is taking place today and tomorrow. When the idea first came about from Richard Ash, president of Folkcraft Instruments, it was a shining beginning to yet another chapter of a wave created by the mountain dulcimer and its many enthusiastic supporters.

It's an honor, not only to be endorsed by Folkcraft, but to be a part of this first festival and to share teaching duties with Stephen Seifert and Lois Hornbostel, performers who have directly influenced my own journey on the instrument.

We're about to embark on two days of instruction and performance on a cornerstone set by Walt Disney 55 years ago with the dedication of Disneyland. When Richard mentioned the dates, the July 17th benchmark rang like a gong in my head. So, as we go forward in celebrating the music and legacy of the mountain dulcimer, not to mention the promise of the instrument as it moves into a wonderful and progressive future, I'm reminded of the spirit that infused the opening day of such a beautiful place not so long ago.

Many pictures to come, and video. Suffice it to say that this is a special weekend to be shared with enthusiasts of music and magic alike. Peace and be well.

Detroit Airport

Detroit Airport

Orlando International Airport