When my mother had to get dinner for 8 she'd just make enough for 16 and only serve half.
The thing to judge in any jazz artist is, does the man project and does he have ideas.
Most bands have a sound that they're already identified with, so for the producer it becomes a process of helping them find their muse in the studio to make a record that will not only satisfy them artistically, but will also do something in the marketplace.