Quebec was born in Newark, New Jersey, and was an accomplished dancer and pianist before he switched to saxophone in his twenties. He started out with the Barons of Rhythm, and worked with many eminent players of the day, including Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter and Ella Fitzgerald. He recorded many sessions for Blue Note, and also worked as an arranger and talent scout for the label. His career enjoyed a resurgence with a run of singles and albums in the late 1950s, incorporating bossa nova and samba rhythms into his style. He died in New York aged 44.