If I play Miles, or 'Trane, or Ella tunes, does that make ME a 'tribute' jazzer, Russ?

That's a fine line between a respectful cover, and flat out 'tribute band' if you're not careful! Perhaps it's the music that's making the difference, Russ? Mercer Ellington's outfit (or any of the bigbands that survived their founders) could be considered a 'tribute band', if you use a sufficiently broad definition...

You think they should have 'got a life' too?

(Sorry, buddy... I just gotta call 'em the way I see 'em

)