Les McCann, the soul jazz pianist and singer whose work has been featured in popular hip-hop tracks like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s “The Next Episode” and Notorious B.I.G.’s “10 Crack Commandments,” has passed away at the age of 88. He succumbed to pneumonia after being hospitalized last week, as reported by his longtime manager Alan Abrahams and the New York Times.
McCann gained prominence with his rendition of “Compared to What” at the 1969 Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, later released as the collaborative album “Swiss Movement” with saxophonist Eddie Harris and trumpeter Benny Bailey. In 1996, the project was reissued, featuring McCann’s notes revealing that he had smoked hash for the first time just before going on stage.
“Just before we went onstage, and for the first time in my life, I smoked some hash,” recalled McCann. “I didn’t know where the hell I was [once I got to the bandstand]. I was totally disoriented. The other guys said, ‘OK, play, man!’ Somehow I got myself together, and after that, everything just took off.”
In the 1990s, McCann’s work experienced a revival thanks to its incorporation into hip-hop through sampling. Rolling Stone notes that his track “Vallarta” was sampled in Notorious B.I.G.’s “10 Crack Commandments,” while “The Next Episode” featured a sample from “Go On and Cry.” Artists like A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Slick Rick, and Warren G are among the nearly 300 who have utilized his compositions in various ways.
Les McCann, a trailblazing musician in the soul-jazz genre, played a pivotal role in shaping the genre and became a sought-after source for sampling by Dr. Dre, A Tribe Called Quest, and numerous other hip-hop artists. His passing occurred on Friday in Los Angeles after a week-long battle with pneumonia, according to his manager and producer, Alan Abrahams.
Hailing from Lexington, Kentucky, McCann, a self-taught pianist and vocalist, rose to fame in the 1950s, winning a singing contest during his service in the U.S. Navy and making appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” With supporters like Quincy Jones and Miles Davis, he embarked on global tours and released numerous albums, starting with “Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Truth” in 1960.
McCann’s most recognized work includes “Compared to What,” a protest song he performed with saxophonist Eddie Harris at the 1968 Montreux Jazz Festival. The song, condemning war, greed, and injustice, became a jazz-funk anthem with McCann’s gospel-style vocals. Beyond his solo career, McCann collaborated with Roberta Flack and toured with popular musicians such as Wilson Pickett, Santana, and the Staples Singers. His impact on merging jazz with soul and funk marked him as a pioneer in the music industry.
In addition to his well-known hip-hop samples, McCann’s legacy includes albums like “Talk to the People” (1972), “Layers” (1973), and “Another Day, Another Dollar” (1973). His influence on the music landscape is indelible, and his contributions will continue to resonate in the years to come.
