Well then extending this definition into the modern internet peer-to-peer era, Charlie Hunter is the premier icon of modern jazz.
At this point, clearly a proven jazz genius capable of communication on a sublime level, a self-taught pioneering innovator on his instrument at the level of a Rhasaan, one of the most distinctive stylists around, practically invented the modern "jazz plus" culture, self-taught, self-promoted, more-and-more self-marketed and self-distributed (music and merchandise), anti-corporate, extremely web-savvy, a shrewd businessman in both performance realms (live tours and studio sessions), ability and true love for multiple funk-rock-jam-band-whatever genres and unashamed if these are probably more profitable that serious acoustic jazz, a rock-solid bandleader, an emerging educator, a consumate associate and promoter of younger talent (most notably, John Ellis, the best 20-something tenor on the scene) .....
... and, finally, easily the most well-known name in jazz in the under-40 set who have even a modicum of hipness (in other words, their knowledge of jazz extends outside the doors of Starbucks),
And from what I can tell, he massively enjoys it all. Not just the music, but also running his own show in life.
In reply to johnagrandy's post regarding Hunter; Minus the compositional success of your Monks or Brubecks, and I'd opine that the "innovation" w/ Hunter is more about the Kirk-ish approach than the "content". I'd rather see Hunter than Brubeck in concert, BTW.