A unique pianist from Montreal, who progressed from being the successor to local favorite Oscar Peterson to being a founder-figure of jazz's avant-garde via his 50's work with Ornette Coleman in Los Angeles. One of the first jazz pianists to work with synthesizers and one of the first musicians to form his own record label. His sparse, cerebral style was a main influence on the early "ECM Sound", and on the early work of ex-wives Carla Bley and Annette Peacock.