Remembered for his work in the bebop jazz music genre, this self-taught trumpet player and songwriter collaborated with musicians such as Earl Hines, Benny Carter, and Dizzy Gillespie.
In his mid-teens, he began performing with the renowned jazz pianist Thelonious Monk.
He wrote "Ornithology," a 1946 jazz standard that was popularized by saxophonist Charlie Parker.
He grew up in New York City and later settled in San Francisco, California.
His song "Reets and I" became a hit for bebop pianist Bud Powell.
