, ▁composer , ▁and ▁band le ader . ▁ ▁Lev itt ▁studied ▁composition ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Washington , ▁where ▁he ▁took ▁his ▁B A ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁He ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁or chestra ▁at ▁Radio ▁City ▁Music ▁Hall ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁and ▁played ▁with ▁D iz zy ▁G illes pie ▁( 1 9 5 6 – 5 7 ), ▁Er nie ▁Wil kins ▁( 1 9 5 7 ), ▁K ai ▁W inding ▁( 1 9 5 8 ), ▁and ▁Sy ▁Oliver ▁( 1 9 5 9 - 6 0 ), ▁and ▁also ▁worked ▁with ▁Gil ▁Evans ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁when ▁his ▁or chestra ▁accompanied ▁Mil es ▁Davis . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁he ▁played ▁with ▁Ger ry ▁M ull igan ▁and ▁M und ell ▁L owe , ▁with ▁Qu in cy ▁Jones ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁and ▁with ▁Oliver ▁Nelson ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 . ▁He ▁recorded ▁four ▁albums ▁as ▁a ▁leader ▁of ▁an ▁oct et ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 - 6 6 ▁and ▁continued ▁to ▁work ▁with ▁this ▁combination ▁into ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁when ▁he ▁also ▁played ▁with ▁bass ist ▁Ch uck ▁Isra els . ▁Later ▁in ▁his ▁career ▁he ▁worked ▁with ▁C ed ar ▁Wal ton ▁and ▁Blue ▁Mitchell , ▁and ▁wrote ▁music ▁for ▁commer ci als ▁with ▁a ▁company ▁he ▁ran ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 6 -