Doc-Z ... I can relate to that ...
A number of years ago I started taking 'piano lessons' from a GREAT self-taught piano player here in RI (SteveM ... it was Diamond) ...
I told him I only wanted to learn 'chord substitution' and the like ... He said "Are you sure you don't want to start with the fundamentals .. scales and such?" I said "NO THANKS" ...the first week he wrote some chord subs for a tune and I went home to practice .. got nowhere ... go back and he simplifies it, and again asks the same question about 'scales, etc.' ... "NO THANKS" ... I go home and again get nowhere with the tune ... third lesson, same question .. this time it sunk in that without those fundamentals, I was going NOWHERE !!! ... so we started with the Berkely System he followed in teaching himself ... Unfortunately, some wrist/forearm problems came about, as well as a more demanding work schedule and I had to stop the lessons .., BUT ... retirement is only 12 months away, and I am considering restarting ...
t.