"All the "style" or "interpretation" or knowledge of regional subtleties in the world is not going to do you much good if you don't know what NOTES to play."

"I just don't see why one would play a set of notes in the first place without having an idea what they were supposed to sound like within the tradition that they come from."

These two quotes do indeed present a dichotomy. However, the conundrum is neatly solved if the the knowledge of what notes to play comes simultaneously with the listening of the style. i.e. learning the tunes by ear.