Dynamic tenor saxophonist of the 1940s, a great improviser, who , nonetheless considered himself strongly influenced by the style of Art Tatum. He worked for some of the great orchestras of the time, including Lionel Hampton at the Paradise Club in Los Angeles, Lucky Millinder, Don Redman and Andy Kirk. Replaced Lester Young in Count Basie's band in 1941, but left two years later to play bebop in New York with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Left for Europe in 1946 and spent the remainder of his life playing at European jazz festivals and in small clubs in Paris and in the Netherlands to appreciative audiences.
