“He was already a perfectionist when he came out of Los Angeles’ Watts district in the early 1940s to work with drummer Lee Young. He was an awesome bassist by 1947, when he recorded with Lionel Hampton. By 1955, he had become a major composer, indeed, a creative force influencing the development of jazz. His recordings from the mid–1950s disclose luminous intelligence and energy that was sometimes barely controlled.” – from Jazz Masters: Reflections on the Music & Some of Its Maker by Doug Ramsey (1989, University of Arkansas Press)