You can say what you want about great players. Maybe Bird was the greatest bebopper. Maybe Coltrane was the greatest progressive player. Maybe King Curtis was the greatest RnB player. But in my opinion Michael Breaker was the greatest all-around saxophonist to ever put the horn into his mouth. We all miss him terribly.
By no means a complete list. These just happen to be my personal favorites.
TENOR
 Michael Brecker - Chops, taste, musicality in ALL styles.
 John Coltrane - MONSTER chops. The pioneer to extended harmonic structure.
 Gato Barbieri - Soulful Argentinian player. The Carlos Santana of the saxophone.
 Sonny Rollins - The master of big tone and great lines.
 Bobby Keys - The standard for rock and roll saxophone.
 Lennie Pickett - No better funk soloist on the planet on any instrument.
 Jr. Walker - RnB to pop. Opened the door for so many players.
 King Curtis - THAT SOUND!! Made Motown what it is.
 Kirk Whalum - Leader of the new breed of Texas tenors. Jazz/ gospel sax.
 Ernie Watts - Fuses jazz and pop. No one more melodic.
 Pete Christlieb - Half of the saxophone sound of Steely Dan.
 Tom Scott - The other half of Steely Dan and pioneer of the LA Express.
 Joe Farrell - The voice of Return To Forever. Graceful lines.
 Grover Washington Jr. - He put jazz and soul into pop.
 Dick Parry - The hard tone behind Pink Floyd.
 Clarence Clemons - His big sound propells the E Street Band.
ALTO
 David Sanborn - The most recognizable alto in the world.
 Phil Woods - Great taste and fluid lines.
 Julian "Cannonball" Adderly - Most lyrical player ever.
 Charlie PARKER - The original bebopper.
 Sonny Stitt - The heir apparent to Charlie Parker.
 Edgar Winter - GREAT high chops.
 Paul Desmond - Softspoken, but always the right word.
 Joshua Redman - Blues and soul in every chorus.
 Gerald Albright - Lyrical, funky R & B.
 Marc Russo - Yellowjackets to Ringo. great player.
BARI
 Gerry Mulligan - The father of the bari.
 Harry Carney - Soulful and lyrical. Great combination.
 Stephen "Doc" Kupka - Composer and the anchor of the Tower Of Power horns.
 Pepper Adams - Hard sound, great soloist.
 Hamiet Bluiett - World Saxophone Quartet.
 Bruce Johnstone - Maynard's soloist and section guy.
SOPRANO
 Dave Liebman - Pioneer of the soprano.
 John Coltrane - Set the bar for soprano tone.
 Wayne Shorter - Great tone. Intricate lines for Weather Report.
or continue...
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