A bit of fresh air

["Bailey, Jim" <baileyj@donmspcn.cmail.southam.ca>]

Thanks for opening the window a bit Kim. That bit of fresh air, though, 
quickly turned into a gale. Not that I'm complaining; it was getting a 
little stuffy in here with all the tech talk, but this new thread 
virtually 
blew all of that clean out. Perhaps some of us lurkers who only pipe up to 
complain about the techie stuff should do more about it. The reason for 
taking so long to post this was trying to get through all the other posts. 
Phew!!! what an ordeal! (worth it though)

Having said all that, here's my contributions to the fray:

I'll forego the technical/technique thing, as that is described in the 
appropriate spot on the web page. As for Top Ten current things, I don't 
tend towards favouritism, as with several thousand things to choose from 
this would be difficult. What I have decided to do instead, is a list of 
what I consider to be the more important loop albums/pieces. So, in no 
particular order:

Terry Riley - A Rainbow in Curved Air/ Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band. 
What more need be said.
Pauline Oliveros - I of IV. Made here in Toronto in 1966.
Hugh LeCaine - Dripsody. Created using a multi-loop player of his own 
design 
which could play at variable speeds, and the sound of a single drop of 
water. Only two minutes long, but what a two minutes!
Les Paul - just about anything. It's amazing that looping didn't take off 
sooner considering some of the stuff he did. Perhaps the technical 
difficulties at the time.
Fripp and Eno - No Pussyfooting. Fripp once considered it (and may still) 
to 
be one of the best things he has recorded.
Brian Eno - Discreet Music. I'm surprised that this hasn't shown up yet. 
Not 
only because of its importance, but due to the inclusion in its liner 
notes 
of a diagram for setting up the two-deck delay system.
Steve Reich - It's Gonna Rain/ Come Out. See Terry Riley.
Pink Floyd (actually, just Roger Waters) - Several Species of Small Furry 
Animals Gathered Together in a Cave, and Grooving with a Pict. Just to 
show 
that looping can sometimes be fun!

There's probably more, but it's past the time when I should have left 
work, 
so goodbye for now.

Jim Bailey