He began his musical career early playing the violin, clarinet, saxophone, and piano.
His family moved from Philadelphia to New York City in 1947 where he began to attend jam sessions and then played with Eric Dixon, Dick Carter and the big band of Herb Jones.
He also worked with King Curtis, Bill English, and Seldon Powell in the 1950s, and with Al Casey and Gloria Lynne in the 1960s, in addition to playing with his own trio.
He returned to work in Donaldson's quartet in the 1980s.
In 1996 he married Hisayo Tominaga, a jazz vocalist.