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Looper's Delight
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> 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