Absolutely nothing wrong with fakery, Donny...it comes with the territory when we play arrangers.

Just like illusionists or magicians, some are good at fakery...some aren't.

If someone expects you to pull a rabbit out of a hat...it had better not be a chicken.

I've heard perfectly awful style type playing, and I've cringed at some of the stuff played over SMF, including LH bass and piano parts....and then again, there are players that can work magic* with either form of background.

They don't even have to be technically great players(although sometimes, that helps)...they just have to have enough charisma and style to connect with the audience.

Ian

*Magic: An illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers.