1. Julien Wilson. Julien was inspiring to me when I was in my early 20s and first moved to Melbourne. He was playing with a Hammond outfit called Festa, and what he was doing was so original and powerful that it set me in the direction I decided to go.

2. Sandy Evans. Sandy was my major female role model on saxophone. She is such a creative and imaginative composer and player. She made me see that there is a place in this country for women to play saxophone seriously (and with fun).

3. Tony Buchanan. My guru and mentor. We call Tony ‘The Tone’ and it's easy to tell why. Every note I go to play, I picture Tony's sound. He is totally in my heart as a true saxophone genius.

4. Lisa Parrot. Another strong Australian woman to bend the rules and be respected as a player in her own right. We haven't heard much from her over the years purely because she is living and working professionally in New York. A unique and beautiful sound and style.

5. Paul Williamson. He has kept the R&B style strong in this country. An impeccable sense of time and groove with a huge tenor sound. We call him the ‘Grand daddy of the saxophone’ although he's not so old! And his gigs at The Rainbow Hotel off Brunswick Street in Melbourne are an institution.

Martha Baartz plays the Brisbane Jazz Club Friday September 20.