His first recording was with his family's band, and by the time he was twenty he had moved to New York City, where he had stints playing with Chet Baker, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Junior Cook, and Hank Jones.

Plaxico first came to public attention through his work with the Wynton Marsalis group in 1982, though his first regular attachment was with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1983–86), with whom he recorded twelve albums.

In the mid-1980s Plaxico joined the M-Base collective and played on the debut-releases of Steve Coleman (Motherland Pulse, 1985), Cassandra Wilson (Point of View, 1986) and Greg Osby (Sound Theatre, 1987).

[1] In 1986 Jack DeJohnette reformed his Special Edition and engaged beside guitarist Mick Goodrick the M-Base saxophonists Greg Osby and Gary Thomas and Plaxico on bass.

With Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers With Cindy Blackman With Cecil Brooks III With Steve Coleman With Ravi Coltrane With Robin Eubanks With Dizzy Gillespie With Bunky Green With Cassandra Wilson With Greg Osby With Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition With Ron Jackson With Don Byron With Bud Shank With Carola Grey With Lafayette Harris With Hannibal Marvin Peterson With Gust Tsilis With Regina Carter With Talib Kibwe With Barbara Dennerlein With Jean-Paul Bourelly, Harry Sokal, and Ronnie Burrage With LaMont Johnson With Ray Anderson With Mark Ledford With Ravi Coltrane With Jason Moran With Teri Thornton With Bunky Green With Brian Landrus With Yukiko Onishi aka Yucco Miller