Just a slightly different slant, but rather than go totally solo, why not try a few gigs with better musicians? Presumably there's a reason you enjoy music in an ensemble, otherwise you would have gone solo long ago, but if the current guys won't learn new material, get guys that will!

BTW, I have found that using a little pocket recorder (Zoom H2 in my case) has been invaluable for 'quality control'... Actually having to LISTEN to themselves ham it through stuff is often all it takes to wake some guys up, and can avoid the rancor of telling them to their faces it sucks! Some players will get very defensive if you TELL them 9it needs to be better, but will many times fix it themselves if made to endure it like the audience does!

Having a recording is also good for yourself... if the band is cooking, from time to time, it helps to have a good recording of it to compare to your OMB sessions. I know it's hard to admit it, sometimes, but a live bunch of good musicians KILLS even the best of arrangers! Just try to make sure you are playing with the best your area has to offer (if they will play with you!) and you won't get quite so gung-ho about a MACHINE