Bill has it right. Again, we're looking at the difference between musicians and entertainers. And we're talking about primary focus and degrees of importance.

We need both entertainers and musicians in this world and most of us have a mix of both skills. A good entertainer assembles a group of tools and does what's necessary to put on a show. A musician (at least one who values skill and musical performance more than entertaining ability) focuses primarily on musical skills, practice, etc.

I'm closer to the "musician" end of the spectrum, not because I make a claim that that is the moral high ground, but because I'm a lousey entertainer.

That's why I have a love-hate relationship with the arranger. It's a tool, but if I were to rely completely one it, I'd be the "tool", at least in my mind.

To keep my head on straight, only about 1/3 of my jobs are on an arranger. The rest are with a trio (either organ and guitar or piano and guitar) or a single on either just piano or guitar.

This keep's my head on straight.

I'm not impressed with many entertainers who are mediocre musicians. That includes some regular contributors here.It's just not something I'm interested in.

But, everyone needs to choose where they are in the entertainer/musician area and work to be the best they can be going down the path they choose.

In my case it's no mp3's or sequences of any kind and playing as much without the aid of arrangers and certain other tools as I can.

That gives me a sense of accomplishment.


Russ