Since you quoted me, I guess I’ll answer this one. My reference to “bandwagon jumpers” in this case had nothing to do with disdain. I was using it in reference to the remark from woodstockbirdybird that in his experience, Louis Armstrong outsold Ray Charles 20 to 1 in the time he worked at a record store. I was objecting to the implication that Louis was therefore 20 times more important. (Although I don’t think woodstockbirdybird really intended for it to be taken that way.) I was bringing up the fact that there was an upsurge at that time due to the film “Jazz” by Ken Burns.
(And I do think that Louis is more important, but not by a 20 to 1 ratio.)
I have no disdain whatsoever for any means by which great artists are discovered, and am extremely grateful for “Jazz” and “Ray” both for bringing in appreciative listeners. After all, the more popular an artist is, the more care is taken in preserving their recorded output, and the more likely it is to be released or re-released.
