Arrangements played!?

Well yesterday AM, the "old-guys-band" played through 5 of my arrangements. Oh boy.
They love them! But they also mangle them horribly (no offense is intended - they are difficult). The 1920's style is so foreign to musicians raised on swing, that they really struggle with some of the characteristic figures (both rhythmic and tonal).
And the accidentals! Ho boy. Sharps and flats where they don't expect them (aka lots of parallels), and a type of polychoral aranging that is very foreign to the big-band swing style.
BUT, by the end of the rehearsal, they were starting to "get" some of it. Very gratifying.
Now I just need to polish, simplify, improve. Basically make them more playable, and more readable. I would like to develop arrangements that will work 60-70% on a first read-through. Not sure that's possible while retaining the style, but if it can be done, I will do it. And now I know for certain that I can do it.
BTW - I always liked the !? thingy - reminds me of chess commentators!?