Featured In
ALBUMNever a Dull Moment! Live from Coast to Coast 1966-1967Les McCann
Albums by Les McCann
ALBUMJazz WaltzLes McCann & The Jazz Crusaders
ALBUMLes McCann (Digital Only)Les McCann
ALBUMPump It UpLes McCann
ALBUMTalkin' VerveLes McCann
ALBUMPacifiqueJoja Wendt & Les McCann
ALBUMOn the Soul SideLes McCann
ALBUMButterflyLes McCann
ALBUMRiver High, River LowLes McCann
ALBUMHustle to SurviveLes McCann
ALBUMAnother BeginningLes McCann
Artist Playlists
Les McCann Essentials
Genre boundaries have never troubled this soul-jazz visionary.
Artist Biography
Les McCann started recording as a jazz pianist at the turn of the '60s, but his career changed forever after he and saxophonist Eddie Harris scored a surprise 1969 hit with their fiercely soulful live version of Gene McDaniels' Vietnam protest song “Compared to What.” McCann soon began placing more focus on his singing—a key ingredient in that track's success—and developing an expansive take on soul jazz. “Beaux J. Poo Boo,” from 1971, is a windblown 13-minute odyssey seeded with funk and psychedelia, while 1973's pioneering synth ballad “Sometimes I Cry” has been sampled by Slick Rick and Massive Attack alike. McCann died in December 2023 at the age of 88.
Hometown
Lexington, KY, United States
Genre
Jazz