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Re: If a looper loops in the woods...



> Mark Sottilaro... YES!  I've been asking myself these exact
questions for a long time.  I love to play with other musicians, and
playing live "gigs" has always been the thing to do.  Why?  To get my
gear out of the house?  

The gear DOES sometimes seem to justify the gig! 8-) Significant
others usually are a bit more understanding when it actually goes out
the door and there's an actual gig happening! 

I'd say ego's involved, but it's also obvious that I'm driven to play
incessantly anyway... Sometimes in the most meandering and unfocused
manner, sometimes with great direction. An audience certainly ups the
ante and demands that we deliever our "best" performance (whatever
that may be...) The feedback from others sometimes counts for a lot!
(Thanks to all here who have helped me grow!)

> My most rewarding playing experiences are usually when a few
friends come over and we improvise together.  No one is worrying about
filling a club to pay for the PA,  entertaining an audience, or why
has everything that worked in my studio now be failing?  The result? 
Pure honest art, made for it's own sake.

That's often my favorite environment... just the players. There can
be pressures which mitigate the situation then as well though.
Hopefully we all inspire and incite better playing from each other.

> Often I think I play live because I feel that I should.  If a
guitarist loops in the woods... 

The old "Because It's There!" explanation. I feel that it creates
milestones where one can deliver what they hope represents their
current thinking, instead of waiting for some dated recording to come
out. 

> Then there are the times that you really TURN SOMEONE ON!  This can
be really gratifying, especially when they were not familiar with the
type of music that you were performing.  Opening up a door for someone
is nice.

If but one person shows support and "get" what you're up to on some
level, there's immediately the validation that what you're doing is
working and meaningful. That's sometimes worth a million bucks...
(well... maybe not! 8-))

> Then there are the times that I power up the gear, fill the JamMan
memory up and just let go... all alone.  Then, when it's over, you
pull the plug.  No audience, no record at all.  I think that can be
equally gratifying. Mark Sottilaro

Ah... crafty on topic item there Mark! Yep... my most sublime moments
are usually alone, listening and responding freely to what I've just
played... often very long pieces (tape on hopefully but usually
off...) Very much in the moment and it's own reward.

-m