CHICAGO (AP) ­- Oscar Brown Jr., a songwriter who composed lyrics for Miles Davis and shared billings with other jazz greats, died Sunday after a brief illness. He was 78.

Brown was hospitalized in mid-April after emergency surgery to stop the spread of an infection in his lower spine. His niece, Lauren Hudson, said her uncle had been released from the hospital but was readmitted about two weeks ago. He died at Saint Joseph Hospital from complications of the illness.

Brown was known for his compositions “The Snake,” “Signifyin’ Monkey” and his lyrics for Miles Davis’ “All Blues.” Early in his career, Brown shared bills with jazz greats such as Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane.

Brown, who was active in the civil rights movement in the 1960s, also ran and lost twice for political office – first for the Illinois legislature and later for a seat in the U.S. Congress