Well, given that the original thesis was "band or artist" (singular), not a list of 30, I will answer that way, and it would be Tower Of Power.

With the lineup turnover over their 51 year history, you get your choice of a couple of dozen singers, a long list of horn players that have flowed through, yet with that core stayed the same, their catalog of 30-ish albums, with enough live stuff in there that there are not the "canned" studio versions with the same solos, you can stay entertained for a long time with a lot of different flavor. I had the chance to meet some of them when Vito SanFillippo was their bass player when Rocco took a health related break, and he brought a handful of the players to an after show thing at a bar.

I don't think I have every CD of theirs, but I do have probably a dozen. Great stuff that can't help but get your toes tappin'. Mario turned me on to their last one and it did not disappoint.