Ian, my friend. It's wonderful to see that you are bright enough and linguistically skillful enough to solicit the empathy and backing of a partisan crowd without ever actually addressing the point I was trying to make; that is, that the very CONCEPT of an arranger could be a turnoff to some musicians and therefore an impediment to it's growth as a popular instrument. Are you saying that that argument has no merit? Also, I liked the way you were able to get in the implication that because someone chooses not to use an arranger on a gig (for whatever reason, legitimate or not), it automatically means that can't play one very well. Could be, I guess, but sounds a little defensive to me. But what the hey, it all just opinion, right?

chas