The Live Looping Community: myth or reality

["loop.pool" <looppool@cruzio.com>]

I've been reading the 'Andre appears' again thread here with interest
(because I respect the hell out of Andre and think that his contribution to
this community has been invaluable).

Anyway,   I hear that in the past Andre has not felt a sense of community 
or 
support and that
Mark Sottilaro has not either.      I feel sad that they don't and truly 
hope that people support them
in the ways they should be supported (monetarily) for their contributionsa 
to the culture
but I, myself, have come to understand that the looping community is full 
of 
musicians who have eschewed
playing in bands and frequently don't feel a part of anything.  Let's face 
it,  we have a lot of folks who
make a lot of music in their studios and don't take it out. I don't at all 
think this trend is at all universal
here at Loopers Delight but it most certainly exists and it's completely 
okay by me.

I have to say this, though, about the notion of community in the Live 
Looping world:

There are tons of reasons for feeling cynical about the notion of 
community 
in most of western civilization
(and please forgive me, Sunao, Erdem and the few others who aren't from 
that 
civilization)  but my belief
is that community is ultimately going to be the only way we get ourselves 
out of the mess that we are in
ecologically, politically and spiritually on this planet.

So I  have to say that I feel really proud of all the people who have 
really 
worked hard and sacrificed a lot
to foster community in the Live Looping movement:   The Bernhard Wagners, 
Hans Lindauers, Peter Koniuto's,
Dan Soltzbergs', Ted Killians, Scoots Galores, etc.

I also feel really proud of all the live loopers who continually have 
played 
for free and travelled long distances on their own
dimes to play the Loopstocks and the Y2K4s and the Berlin LiveLooping 
Festival and the Firenze Looping Festival and the Cambridge
Looping Festivals and the Swedish Looping tours and the Bass Looping 
Tours, 
etc., etc., etc.

We had 50 artists from 5 countries in 4 days in 2 cities last October for 
Y2K4.

Everyone came and played for free and anyone who was here had a hell of a 
time, hanging out;  trading secrets,  jamming,  drinking beer and eating.
It sure as hell felt like a community to me.

If there are many people on this list who don't want to feel a part of 
that, 
I understand completely.   I think Andre and Mark have really cogent and 
valid reasons for feeling the ways that they do about a 'community' of 
live 
loopers but to claim it doesn't exist just really misses the mark (pardon 
the pun, senor Sottilaro)

Making a community takes a committment on the part of everyone.
The more energy one committs the greater the payback.  That's the truth, 
so.................

Come play Y2K5 or come watch it and hang out and meet some great people 
who 
do what you love to do:     LOOP!!!!

yours,  sincerely ,  Rick Walker