"You can't reason with someone who isn't listening."
Neither can you with someone who refuses to state their position.
"Jim thinks 'folk club' is an inaccurate term for a club where he can't expect to hear traditional music."
Sorry Howard - from the word go I have been associated with clubs which provide both traditional song and new songs created using traditional forms - I thought I'd said pretty clearly that I have never been part of a club that doesn't allow both - but I, happy to repeat it.
The clubs I have problems with are those used as platforms for music that has no connection with folk song whatever.
I would apply a different criteria when I'm writing on the subject, but I still advocate the making of new songs as being an essential part of the revival.
"If I go to a 'jazz club' I don't know whether to expect traditional jazz, swing, bebop, jazz-rock ,or a myriad of other forms"
But you don't expect 1950s pop songs or heavy metal - or do you?
"can call themselves 'traditional"
Problem with this is the claim of many "anything goes" merchants ifs that anything that happens at a folk club can be described as 'tradition' because clubs have their own traditions and we should vacate that term as well.
Jim Carroll