I have probably made more references to "entertainer vs. musician" than anyone.

I am a musician by choice. I choose to play dining rooms, where volume and song selection are more important than banter.

I choose to do studio work because it pays lots better and everyone leaves me alone to do my job.

In the studio, I'm completing the score, but also have written the script, shot the critical frames, done the storyboards, etc.

Playing live, I'd rather play for 25 jazz listeners than 2,000
drunks or party people.

I feel I have an obligation to educate. All it takes is one listener converting to, say Forplay type music, or to develop an appreciation for a song like "In the Wee Small Hours of the morning", "When Sunny Gets Blue", "Spring can really hang you up",....any one of thousands of tunes that have respectable structure and meaning.

But folks, that's me. I LOVE a good musical entertainer.

I just don't want to be one.

And so far, things have worked out.


Be well, all,


Russ (tired of bland soup) Lay

PS: guess you figured out the diverticulitis is much better.

I'M HUNGRY!