Les McCann
Leslie Coleman McCann (September 23, 1935 – December 29, 2023) was an American jazz pianist and vocalist.[1] He is known for his innovations in soul jazz and his 1969 recording of the protest song "Compared to What". His music has been widely sampled in hip hop.
For the Australian rules footballer, see Les McCann (footballer).
Les McCann
Leslie Coleman McCann
September 23, 1935
Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
December 29, 2023 (aged 88)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Musician
Piano, vocals
1959–2018
Early life[edit]
Leslie Coleman McCann was born in Lexington, Kentucky, on September 23, 1935.[2] He grew up in a musical family with four brothers and one sister, most of whom sang in church choirs.[3][4][5] His father was a fan of jazz music and his mother was known to hum opera tunes around the house.[5]
As a youth, McCann played the tuba and drums and performed in his school's marching band.[4][5] As a pianist, he was largely self-taught.[6] He explained that he received piano lessons for only a few weeks as a six-year-old before his teacher died.[4]
McCann attended Los Angeles City College, which was highly influential to his musical career.[7] At the age of 17, he joined the U.S. Navy in San Diego.[7]
Legacy[edit]
McCann's recordings have been widely sampled in hip hop music, mostly in the 1990s and 2000s, by nearly 300 acts.[12][15] These include A Tribe Called Quest, Cypress Hill, De La Soul, the Notorious B.I.G., Sean Combs, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Nas, Mary J. Blige, the Pharcyde, Eric B. & Rakim, Mobb Deep, Gang Starr and Raekwon.[12][16]