Les McCann was a soul-jazz pioneer who helped turn jazz into protest music through “Compared to What,” and was later sampled by hip-hop artists like Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, and A Tribe Called Quest.
- Died: December 29, 2023 (Who else died on December 29?)
- Details of death: Died in Los Angeles at the age of 88.
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Les McCann’s legacy
Born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, to a family full of musicians, McCann moved to California in the 1950s to pursue music but did so on his own terms. When offered a spot in Cannonball Adderley’s band, for example, he declined in order to pursue his own muse. He released dozens of albums for Pacific Jazz throughout the 1960s, crafting a soulful, piano-driven sound.
In 1969, McCann released one of his most notable works, “Swiss Movement,” with saxophonist Eddie Harris and trumpeter Benny Bailey. The record spawned the protest song, “Compared to What,” and earned him a Grammy nomination. Roberta Flack, who signed to Atlantic Records after McCann recommended her to the label, covered the song on her debut album, 1969’s “First Take.” The success of “Compared to What” prompted McCann to place more emphasis on his vocal work, even as he explored more electronic elements in his music throughout the 1970s.
In the mid 1990s, McCann suffered a stroke which sidelined him from music for a time, but he returned to recording and performing in the early 2000s. By that time, his work had already started to make its way into hip-hop music, sampled by such artists as the Notorious B.I.G., Warren G., De La Soul, Slick Rick, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, A Tribe Called Quest, and many others. He also pursued visual arts as both a painter and a photographer. The book “Invitation to Openness: The Jazz and Soul Photography of Les McCann 1960-1980” chronicles two decades of his photography.
Tributes to Les McCann
Full obituary: Billboard
