Russ, I think this thread is closely tied to Your 'why do you play?' thread. If you're motivated primarily by money, then educating your audience is the last thing on your mind; in fact, you MIGHT be more interested in their educating YOU......on which tunes generate the biggest tips and are most likely to assure you a return trip.

We've discussed the differences between being a musician and an entertainer many times ('though they don't HAVE to be mutually exclusive). I say, if you want to be spiritually happy but financially sad, be a musician; if your main goal is to make money, then be an entertainer. If you want to be a musician AND make money, then you'd better be at least as good as Wynton Marsalis AND carry a rabbit's foot around for good measure.

All lovers of the more complex forms of music, such as jazz or classical, would like to see more sophisticated audiences. I'm sure my wife wishes I would turn off '24' and watch 'The English Patient' but it probably ain't gonna happen.

Frankly (and sadly), I don't know if an audience even CAN BE educated once they hit adulthood. That probably has to happen early on in one's development and supported and promoted by one's earliest influences (usually the parents). If you happen to be born to poor dirt farmers in rural Mississippi, it's going to be a looooong road before you start appreciating Monk OR Beethoven. Luck of the draw, baby, that's all. Anyhoo, if you want to do something, start by making sure the music program in your local school is not the first victim of budget cuts. The road to being a (really cool) jazz lover starts there .

chas