Firstly I must confess that I play lots of kinds of music of several instruments, and I've only been to one bluegrass session in my life.

We're all entitled to our opinions about music. Personally, I think that anyone who limits themselves is the loser, but it's their choice. But a bass player depends on other people to play - it seems to be counter-productive to chase away other musicians.

So here's a possible solution. How about getting him to define his terms exactly and then arranging to have twice as many sessions, divided equally into 'strictly bluegrass' sessions and 'mainly bluegrass' sessions. He could define exactly what he wants in the strictly bluegrass sessions and let people have a little flyer about it so that anybody participating would know. After a while you would have a good idea of the feelings of others - people often vote with their feet.

I wonder what he make of the Sensitive New Age Cowpersons, an Australian bluegrass band who play bluegrass versions of absolutely everything - including Abba, Andrew Lloyd Webber and the BeeGees?

And my only bluegrass session. As it was in the UK perhaps we're not so purist. I only had my melodeon with my so I 'invented' bluegrass melodeon and was quite surprised to be nodded at to do breaks!

Hope you get things sorted.
Les