He was a student at Berklee College of Music from 1975 to 1979, where he played with Tiger Okoshi and Marlena Shaw, and led a band which included Kevin Eubanks.

After graduating he became a member of Dizzy Gillespie's big band, where he worked until 1982; he then joined John McLaughlin's group until 1984.

He recorded with Eubanks throughout the 1980s and played with Sonny Rollins, Tania Maria, Gary Burton, Igor Butman, and Makoto Ozone in the decade.

After relocating to New York City in 1988, he worked with his own group alongside Charnett Moffett, Aydin Esen, and Eubanks.

As a sideman, he worked in the 1990s with Stanley Jordan, the Manhattan Transfer, the Great Saxophone Quartet, David Murray, Ray Anderson, and Mingus Big Band.