@stuartk, It probably sounds as if I am saying jazz musicians aren't as good as classical. I'm not at all saying that. I am saying that they are judged by a different standard. Probably the most important point I made is that jazz musicians are judged by their individuality, their "voice," and how much emotion or intellectual satisfaction they get across to the audience. I can think of a number of jazz musicians who weren't that great, but audiences liked them for a while. I have too many of their records in my collection and never listen to them. Their shelf life was short. John Klemmer is a good example. In other words, there is a great variety of musical tests that jazz musicians must go through to rise to the top. Obviously some meet the classical criterium. Although, a number of jazz musicians who play classical music are soloists, like Wynton Marsalis and Keith Jarrett. Soloists need to have more individuality than memebers of an orchestra, to whom I was referring.
Classical musicians have to meet extremely rigorous vetting. The daughter of a friend of mine had a classical music education in flute. She was excellent, but could not get in a classical orchestra, even though she was taken under the wing of the L.A. Phil's lead flutist. So, simply being educated in classical music does not make for a classical musician.
Anyway, I think I've hit the end of my rope on this topic. I am judging from the standpoint of an uneducated audience memeber. I stand by my logic, but admit it might be faulty. I think I need somebody who knows a lot more about the subject and that would probably be a musician who has played in a classical orchestra and a jazz group. Benny Goodman comes to mind, but he is dead.