Dude could play, especially when he picked up his trumpet. Not quite sure how to characterize his sound, often mellow, even a bit "fluffy" ... I guess there's some Clifford Brown in there, but more measured, certainly less exuberant (hear his contributions to that Elmo Hope Quintet date waxed for Richard Bock) ... maybe some Sweets Edison, too. And Shorty Rogers, duh, but without the overt impishness. And bouncier. Not quite the West Coast Tommy Turrentine, but, like TT, I always look forward to hearing his contributions when he shows up. That includes those Shelly Manne mid-50s LPs (in the company of Charlie Mariano), Pepper Adams' Mode date, Lennie Niehaus' Contemporary recordings, a handful of sessions under his own name/leadership for Bethlehem.
Brother of Claude, of course, and, by all accounts, a more troubled individual. But he seemed to have found regular work in Hollywood's studios. So, really, what was his deal?