Jazz artist who was a favorite among his peers. He was called "a keyboardist of uncommon sensitivity and harmonic acumen" by Will Friedwald.
He was a student at the Peabody Institute, the Manhattan School of Music, and Juilliard.
He and jazz record producer Orrin Keepnews founded Milestone Records in 1966.
He had two marriages: the first to Edith Shapiro and the second to Joan Seifer. He fathered four sons: Jamie, Frank, Jeffrey, and Ivan.
He idolized soloists like Teddy Wilson, Art Tatum, and Fats Waller.