Good post man. As for Jazz musicians, I like: John Coltrane, Allan Holdsworth (fucking love his music) Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Tony Macalpine, Friendly Bears (crap name, awesome expiremental jazz-rock), McGILL MANRING STEVEN, etc.
As for Jazz-metal: Cynic, Behold...the Arctopus, Spiral Architect, Atheist, Pestilence, Gordian Knot, Watchtower, etc.