Jazz saxophonists are musicians who play various types of saxophones (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone etc.) in jazz and its associated subgenres. The techniques and instrumentation of this type of performance have evolved over the 20th century, influenced by both movements of musicians that became the subgenres and by particularly influential sax players who helped reshape the music.

In recent decades, jazz saxophonists have embraced elements of fusion, avant-garde, and electronic music, further expanding the boundaries of the instrument's role in jazz. This has allowed the saxophone to remain a versatile and vital voice in contemporary music, blending traditional techniques with cutting-edge innovations.

In the 1930s, during the swing and big band era, saxophonists like altoist Johnny Hodges, who led the saxophone section in the Duke Ellington Big Band, were featured soloists in a highly structured system of playing where such solos were limited moments of musical freedom.

In the early 1940s, jazz saxophonists such as Charlie Parker (alto, tenor) and Sonny Stitt (alto, tenor) led a rebellion against the strictures of big band jazz, shifting away from danceable popular music towards a more challenging "musician's music" that would come to be called bebop, with solos that included more chromaticism and dissonance. Charlie Parker is particularly noted for his groundbreaking solo techniques that are still widely admired today. He was credited to be one of the major influences of the bebop movement. The development of bebop in the 1940s reflected broader societal changes, with African American musicians asserting greater creative freedom and breaking away from the constraints of commercial swing music. This era was not only a musical revolution but also a cultural one, challenging norms and introducing greater individuality in jazz performance.

In the 1950s, sax players like tenor saxophonist John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins broke new ground in jazz, infusing their music with rhythm and blues, modal, Latin and gospel influences as part of the hard bop subgenre.

In the 1950s and 1960s, free jazz pioneers such as Ornette Coleman and Albert Ayler developed unusual new sounds and playing styles.

In the early 1960s, Woody Herman's lead "(Four) Brother", Stan Getz, played cool jazz with Brazilian musicians in the emerging bossa nova style. Getz was known for his rich tone, ability to swing and impeccable technique.

In the 1970s, fusion jazz blended rock and jazz, with saxophonists like Wayne Shorter and Michael Brecker at the front of that movement.

In the 1980s, smooth jazz saxophonists such as Kenny G (Kenny Gorelick, soprano, alto, tenor), Bob Mintzer (tenor) and David Sanborn (alto, soprano) played a radio-friendly style of fusion called smooth jazz. Other notable smooth jazz saxophonists include Dave Koz, Jeff Kashiwa, and Brandon Fields.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Joshua Redman (born 1969, tenor, soprano, alto) and Chris Potter (tenor, soprano) returned to a more traditional approach which harked back to the saxophone greats of the 1950s and 1960s. Jazz saxophonist Greg Abate continues to keep bebop alive on the alto, soprano, tenor, baritone as well as the flute.

Women in Jazz Saxophone

While male saxophonists have often been the focus, women have also left their mark on the evolution of jazz saxophone playing. Artists such as Vi Redd and Peggy Gilbert contributed significantly to the jazz scene, both as performers and as advocates for gender equality in the music industry.

Notable jazz saxophonists include:

• Ike Quebec (1918–1963) (tenor)
• Paul Quinichette (1916–1983) (tenor)

• List of saxophonists

• Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian: The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. London: Penguin. (Various editions).
• Miedema, Harry: Jazz Styles & Analysis: Alto Sax. Chicago: Maher. 1975.
• https://gregabate.com