[Rick Craig]

Pat Metheny Group (late 70's to early 80's version)

Weather Report

Dixie Dregs

Return to Forever

Yellowjackets

Mahavishnu Orchestra

Allan Holdsworth

Tony Williams' Lifetime

Brecker Brothers

Pierre Morelin / Gong

[Bwanagreg]

Miles Davis.  He invented the genre!
Any of the John McLaughlin era recordings are amazing! I have to get the remastered Live Evil and Bitches Brew sets. In a Silent Way and Tribute to Jack Johnson were always personal favs.

McLaughlin's pre-Mahavishnu recordings are seminal. Too bad the recording quality is so bad on so many of them, with the exception of Extrapolation. The Tony Willimans Lifetime band with JM played with time like no other group, but the recording was perhaps the worst commercial release I've ever heard, even after remastering.

Camel. It splits the difference between progressive and fusion. Mel Colins played sax - he contributed to several 70's era King Crimson recordings, most notably Red.

Jaco Pastorius. The man!

[hifitommy]

perhaps the quintessential fusion band.  it came together in the bitches brew miles davis sessions.  

heavy weather and sportin life are standout albums.  most of their other output is good as well.

[R_burke]

Chambers, mcAlpine, Brunnel - Several incarnations - Brian Auger, Patrice Rushen, Virgil Donati (this guys a monster)

And they are doing it today, so it is possible to see them live, I did and it was incredible and I've seen most of the other groups listed so far.

[mojoman]

I lke Scott Henderson's group Tribal Tech and Steve Smith's band Vital Information.  For the utlimate trio, through in Victor Wooten with these two and you have the side project The Vital Tech Tone.

Other worth checking out IMO would be Larry Coryell, Al DiMeola and Paco de Lucia.  Don't think anyone's mentioned Jean-Luc Ponty but he's definately worth a listen.

[spudco]

If you like Weather Report's type of fusion, you should try some of Joe Zawinul's other work.  The "World Tour" record is great.