Not a stupid question at all!
Here's how I see it:
Sound comes from
-Equipment
-Influences
-Imagination/personal concept
-Physical attributes (chops, use of air, shape of oral cavity, teeth etc.)
I've always thought of it this way: a player's sound is the sum of their influences PLUS themself (their own input/concept). You can often tell who a player might have listened to (and been influenced by), and many don't escape "clone" status, but the players with the most memorable sounds add that extra personal ingredient that allows them to create an individual and identifiable sound.
This to me is the problem with much of jazz education these days- so many players fail to develop beyond the "clone" step. The study of technique is a means to an end, not an end in itself. The search for one's own sound is as important (if not more) than technical expertise. IMHO.
I still love Clark Terry's succinct explanation of development: "Imitate...Assimilate...Innovate".