The people who I like to listen to the most at improvising are not as concerned with "licks" as with crafting melodies. In fact if you try to lift a Miles Davis lick out of place and stick it somewhere else, it usually sounds really disjointed. That continuum or development of a solo is something that only comes when you have an adequate collection of licks but also the ability to play what you're thinking.
Playing other people's licks will not develop the talent for playing what you're thinking, you have to work at that as a separate goal - sight-singing, and sing a lick then play it. Then, if you find that what you're thinking is all other people's licks, you've arrived at the real starting point.
I think the most important thing you can do is to play with others. I have lately found You tube to be a substitue. You can practice what you will, but real life timming is invaluable. People will rightly tell you timming is an important ingrediant of playing. Heres what else I have noticed. Everyone plays and sing the same song slightly differently. Don't believe me listen on youtube for say "Peace In The Valley," just my latest example. There are small differences in style, nuance and feeling. You will never catch these differences if you arent playing with someone. Of course there are more experts here that know more than I, but eventually they too had to play with someone
"Oh what a tangled web we weave when we first begin to deceive" Someone Famous
