After the war, he started playing jazz, joining Claude Thornhill's big band where he became friends with trombonist Al Langstaff, pianist Gil Evans and saxophone player Gerry Mulligan in 1947.

He joined up with Davis and Gil Evans in the late 1950s to record the albums Sketches of Spain, Miles Ahead and Porgy and Bess.

In 1992, he recorded and toured with a nonet led by Gerry Mulligan, reworking material from Birth of the Cool.

From 1998 to 2004 he was part of The Seatbelts, New York musicians who played the music of the Japanese anime Cowboy Bebop.

With Art Blakey With Bob Brookmeyer With Kenny Burrell With John Coltrane With Miles Davis With Gil Evans With Urbie Green With Gigi Gryce With Slide Hampton With Gerry Mulligan With Pete Rugolo