BROOKTONDALE NY - Music Jam Event at the Canaan Institute (Mike and Raylene’s workshop) with mountain dulcimer musician extraordinaire Bing Futch! Wednesday November 9th 5-10 pm Bing will teach a Mountain dulcimer workshop from 5-7 pm cost is $25. This will be followed by the regular MUSIC JAM at the usual time 7:00-10pm the music jam is FREE. The music jam is also open to ALL instruments! It is OK to come to only the dulcimer workshop OR only the music jam (or both of course). RSVP to mike@cinst.org to reserve a seat at the workshop and for directions.

Some of you may have seen Bing at Old Songs this year. More about this fabulous musician: With roots in both African and Seminole Indian tribes, Bing Futch’s window on America is a unique landscape of music, words and imagery. He began playing Appalachian mountain dulcimer at Knott’s Berry Farm theme park in 1986, working at a Ghost Town shop for Bud & Donna Ford.

That same year, Futch founded techno-punk band Crazed Bunnyz, a trio that grew popular in the international underground college radio scene and has remained a fan favorite long after disbanding in 1988. Since then, he has enjoyed a diverse and prolific solo career, composing dozens of scores for film, theater, themed attractions and television.

After working closely with producers of the hit NBC series “Quantum Leap” while shooting his first documentary in 1992, Futch left his California hometown of Los Angeles in 1993 to pursue production opportunities in central Florida where he set up a multimedia company called J.O.B. Entertainment Inc. Some of his early projects include the travelogue “Disney Overload”, a reality series called “Toastin’”, serving as musical director and composing an original score for the Stage Left Theater production of “Jungle Book: The Musical” and writing/performing portions of the soundtrack for The Castle of Miracles at Give Kids The World Village in Kissimmee, Florida.

In 1999, Mohave was born. The award-winning Americana band has performed in a variety of venues including multiple shows at The House Of Blues at Walt Disney World, Hard Rock Live Orlando, The Bamboo Room, Freebird Live, The Orlando Fringe Festival, The Central Florida Fair and they’ve also opened for national acts Molly Hatchet, Subject To Change, St. Somewhere and The Crests.

As a solo performer, Bing’s high-energy, crowd pleasing shows and unique approach to the mountain dulcimer combined have made him a much-sought national act from California to Connecticut. Named 2006 “Songwriter of the Year” by the Songwriters Showcases of America (with a 2007 “Song of the Year” award for “Crazy Feels Like”), Bing has become a regularly featured artist at festivals, house concerts, Irish and British pubs and other venues across the country. He’s opened for Grammy-award nominated artists Sam & Ruby, bluesman Scott Ainslie, singer/songwriter Larry Mangum, shared the stage with Zydeco king Chubby Carrier, Tom Constanten (The Grateful Dead), national fingerstyle guitar champion Michael Chapdelaine, produced numerous recordings and has published several songbooks.

Alongside his performing career, Bing has become a popular instructor of the mountain dulcimer and Native American flute and his video podcast, “Dulcimerica”, has been seen and downloaded by over half a million unique viewers.

Along with the music and video, Bing is also an accomplished podcaster, published writer and roller-coaster fan whose music columns in Jam, Ink-19 and Connections Magazine have been a Florida scene staple for over ten years. He and his wife Jae live in Orlando, so close to Walt Disney World that you can see the fireworks from their interstate exit. — bio by Dean Rezzen

Bing Futch’s Website http://www.darkstudios.com
Canaan Institute Website http://www.canaaninstitute.org