chas ... I too dislike the 'put up or shut up' attitudes, the posting of 'samples' without due credit or full disclosure, the "mine is better than yours" attitudes, and the "your singing, playing, whatever, stinks" type of commentary ...

And I fully respect your opinion (and OF COURSE you are still allowed to have one)and your right to post it, but I have a couple of thoughts contrary to it ...

First, as this IS an arranger forum, and is frequented by arranger players, many of whom play the same type of music, for the same type of audiences, in the same types of venues, it is my HUMBLE, (but perhaps misguided), opinion, that it IS a place to post and share our music, if only to hear someone else's treatment of a song ...
Secondly, if someone plays a 'half assed solo' over a style and that is the best they can do, then so be it ...
Thirdly, as I am a "OMB/Entertainer" lounge player, and may be a "dime a dozen", to say that "few if any real music lovers go out to hear them" is an insult to me and to the people who come out to hear US.
I would say that many of us here, through years of playing 'lounges' whatever, have developed a following of people who come out to hear US ... should our audiences not be considered music lovers because of that?

I would venture to say that you and your trio have developed a 'following' as well, but are THEY music lovers because you play jazz?
I have stated many times on this forum that jazz happens to be the music I most enjoy listening to , and I feel that I've missed something by not having had the training, and probably the talent, to play it ...
But to say or imply that people who go out purposely to hear a OMB are not music lovers is to slight a rather large audience...

If I have misunderstood or misinterpreted, any of your comments, I apologize in advance.

t.