Well, I guess I'll say a few words about this strange thing that happens
once a year called the "Ricochet Gathering". This event is very special and
is celebrated by musicians and fans that are able to travel to an exotic
location and let loose. The term "musician's workshop" has now been coined
at the Ricochet Gathering. This has been the third successful year and this
event has steadily grown. I am not saying this is a large gathering -
around 27 people this time, but I think this may have been close to the peak
for this location.

I have read Dave Brewer's earlier report and it was quite accurate from a
day to day schedule of what happened. Dave by the way, has been the only
musician that has attended all three events. I have decided not to review
this gathering since I would not offer an accurate perspective since I'm the
organizer and producer of this event. I hope that others that attended will
comment on their experience or at least post some picture on their websites.

Each time, this Gathering takes on a different feel, which is created by the
musicians and fans in attendance. This year we had AirSculpture (Pete and
John) make the flight out from the UK again. These guys are awesome and
just wonderful people to hang around with. We had Dave Brewer and Bill Fox
join us once more from Arizona and Pennsylvania, repsectively. We had a few
last minute cancellations, but at the same time we had a last minute
surprise of having Steve Schroyder (from Tangerine Dream and Ash Ra Tempel
way back when...) and Jens Zygar better know as Star Sounds Orchestra join
us. SSO kind of transformed the event this year with the willingness of the
other musicians. There was a different type of energy that built up and
eventually climaxed in a "Psychedelic Trance Party" on the grass, in the
picnic area, by the swings.... I cannot describe this experience. Only
Jens is qualified to explain it and you must live it. Next, I cannot
overlook the 5 1/2 hour ambient session that we called "Planetary Ambiance"
which was a "out there" experience that transcended planets such as Earth,
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter - all that were tuned to a specific
frequency and astrological time. Different moods occurred during these
different phases of the planets. Some were in tune, some were slightly "out
of tune". That's what it was about - going inter-planetary....

We had a fun gift exchange. This year it was over 100 TD and EM releated
items. This party activity took quite some time and we again had fun having
differnet means of possibly gaining another TD rarity. I was disappointed I
didn't win that slightly used vintage TD T-shirt, but you can't have it
all - just enough to keep that warm smile within. So, many painted their own
picture while they were there, for some it was a masterpiece, for others it
was trial and error. But I think we all agreed that we functioned well as a
small community that was forced to live, sleep, cook, party and listen to
each other for four days.... We made it!

There are plans to release music on CD that will document this experience
for those that could not attend.

Also, we will move on in 2003 to the next TD related location:

Mojave Desert, California - starting the first ricochet of the Ricochet
Gathering.

Life has been difficult for many of us in this complicated world--it will
get better.

Look out from some good things to come from these gatherings and Ricochet Dream Productions.
-Vic Rek