Jazz double-bassist and composer, born July 26, 1930 in Danville, Illinois, USA; died March 14, 2015.
Initially learned trumpet as a teenager before switching to bass. He studied at Juilliard in 1955–1956, then played in several big bands, including the Tommy Dorsey band and the bands of Claude Thornhill and Woody Herman. In the first half of the 1960s he played with Don Elliott, Jimmy Raney, Kenny Davern, The Dukes of Dixieland, and Herbie Mann. He became a member of Dave Brubeck's ensemble in 1968, remaining with Brubeck until 1974, and also played with Tal Farlow during this time. In the 1970s he worked with Illinois Jacquet and Jay McShann, among others.