Well, my thinking was that the whole idea of community has been brought to the foreground by the events of 9/11 and we're sort of clueless about it. Community is one of the strongest elements in having healthy, happy kids and adults, but many of us don't know how to get from here to there.

My own satisfaction and happiness -- and I suspect that of many others -- is greatly influenced by the quality of my relations with other people. I don't know of a better way to foster those kinds of connections than through music. Look at the amazing variety of people who end up at most jams. Often you don't know anything about them -- about their politics or religion or philosophy or finances. Just that you all enjoy the same kind of music, and if you don't, you at least lend a respectful ear to others.

Sounds suspiciously like community to me.

I also have this pet peeve that music in our culture has become an almost exclusively performance dominated thing. One person sings/plays/performs and thousands of others are supposed to clap their hands appreciatively, meanwhile letting their own musical aspirations die a'bornin' in their hearts. Why should just a handful -- and not necessarily the most talented, at that -- have all the fun?

If *I* ruled the world, I'd make sure every man, woman and child had access to making their own music, preferably in connection with other people. Then if they wanted to sing or play for the rest of their lives, they could -- and if they didn't take to it, they wouldn't have to go any further. But at least they'd have the option of expressing themselves that way. Same with the visual arts -- I think everyone ought to at least have the possiblity of that kind of expression available to them, and we might see a much different world. there's so much in the human heart that wants to be let out, and so few acceptable ways of doing so. Stifling creativity makes people crazy-in-a-bad-way, as so many of our children are so eagerly demonstrating for us.

Consuming angry art might make people mean (e.g. the Columbine shooters), but creating it stands a chance of letting something out that's rapidly turning putrid in the soul. At least we could give it a try. ...

Was that, like, a rant?

Anyway, I'm preaching to the choir here, but at least I can maybe get an Amen!

ww