I gather New York is one of those places which, for some people, it's the only possible place in the world. And the rest of the world scratches its head and just can't understand.

A pool of players you play with socially, and you pick the ones you want as formal paid musicians when you get a gig, that seems fair enough. If others want to come along and play for free and for fun, that's fair enough too, if they don't hurt the sound.

I can't see how anyone should feel entitled to object to that, it's a fairly normal way to operate. If I was in New York I'd be honoured to be allowed to play with Larry, without any payment.