hiː kˈeɪm tə pɹˈɑːmɪnəns ɪnðə lˈeɪt nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti z æz pˈɑːɹt əvə mˈuːvmənt ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ wˈɪntən mɑːɹsˈɑːliz ʌv mˈɑːdɚn plˈeɪɚz stˈiːpt ɪnðə tɹɐdˈɪʃənz ʌv dʒˈæz, ɹᵻkˈoːɹdɪŋ fɔːɹ ˌɪndᵻpˈɛndənt lˈeɪbəlz lˈaɪk ˈɪndiə nˌævɪɡˈeɪʃən ænd kəntˈɛmpɚɹˌɛɹi ɹˈɛkɚdz.
He came to prominence in the late 1970s as part of a movement including Wynton Marsalis of modern players steeped in the traditions of jazz, recording for independent labels like India Navigation and Contemporary Records.