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Alto Sax

Cannonball Adderley - Spectacular phrasing, amazing technique and lots of soul.

Tenor Sax

Michael Brecker - because he can play circles around everyone else AND make it sound so good.

Trumpet

Miles Davis - because there is no one who created so many fresh ideas in jazz.

Trombone

Nils Landgren - because he does FUNK and jazz too!

Guitar

Pat Martino - because he had a stroke, relearned to play from his own recordings and was even better afterwards.

Piano

Herbie Hancock - From the jazz he did in the '50s to the funk he did in the '70s to the stuff he is doing now, there is nothing I don't like.

Bass

Richard Bona - because I love when he sings harmonies to his bass lines and he plays it like it is a guitar.

Drums

Dave Weckl - there is just no one else like him.

Vocals

Ella Fitzgerald - have you heard her? There is no one with her chops. Her scatting is unbelievable.

Honorable Mentions

Charlie Hunter - virtuoso, full stop.

Mike Stern - because he looks like he is always having so much fun.

Esperanza Spalding - wow, she is amazing.

Roy Hargrove - What a band he put together for the RH Factor tour, LOVE IT.

Is that too many?

Albert Ayler 1936 - 70, (ts ,alto, sop,) the most intense avant-gardist musician for me during the 60's but due to his early demise ( found dead in New York's East River 1970 ) there is very little of his recorded work to listen to but i am lucky to have all vinyls that where released the best of which imo was :-

Spiritual Unity rec' 7/64 on ESP Disk 1002

John Tolle

Miles Davis

John Coltrane

1. His Avant Garde Style

2. He can play ballads, medium tunes, and blistering fast melodies

3. His music sounds cool

John Zorn.