Les McCann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Les McCann
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McCann in 1980
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Leslie Coleman McCann |
| Born | September 23, 1935 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | December 29, 2023 (aged 88) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, soul jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Piano |
Leslie Coleman McCann (born September 23, 1935 – died December 29, 2023) was an amazing American jazz musician. He was a talented pianist and singer. Les McCann helped change jazz music by mixing it with other styles like funk and soul.
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Early Life and Music
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Leslie Coleman McCann was born in Lexington, Kentucky, on September 23, 1935. He grew up in a family that loved music. His family often sang in church choirs.
His father enjoyed jazz music, and his mother would hum opera songs. When he was young, Les played the tuba and drums. He was also in his school's marching band. He mostly taught himself how to play the piano.
Starting His Music Career
While serving in the U.S. Navy, McCann won a singing contest. This led to him appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, a very popular TV show at the time.
After leaving the navy, McCann moved to California. There, he started his own music group, a trio. He even turned down an offer to join another famous band so he could focus on his own music. His trio's first big job was at a club called The Purple Onion in 1959.
A New Sound in Jazz
Les McCann's main career took off in the early 1960s. He recorded many albums as a pianist with his trio.
In 1969, he released a very successful album called Swiss Movement. He recorded it with saxophonist Eddie Harris at a jazz festival. This album included the famous song "Compared to What". Both the album and the song became popular on the music charts. "Compared to What" spoke out against the Vietnam War.
After Swiss Movement became a hit, McCann started singing more. He became a leader in a style called soul jazz. This style mixed jazz with funk, soul, and world music rhythms. He was also one of the first jazz musicians to use electric piano and synthesizers in his songs.
Music Around the World
In 1971, Les McCann and Eddie Harris joined other famous musicians. They traveled to Accra, Ghana, in Africa. There, they performed a huge concert for over 100,000 people. This concert was filmed for a movie called Soul to Soul. The movie and its soundtrack were later released on DVD.
In the mid-1990s, McCann had a stroke. But he bravely returned to music in 2002 with a new album called Pump it Up. Besides music, he also showed his talents as a painter and photographer.
His Passing
Les McCann passed away from pneumonia in a hospital in Los Angeles on December 29, 2023. He was 88 years old.
His Musical Impact
Les McCann's music has had a lasting impact, especially in hip hop. Many of his recordings have been used, or "sampled," in hip hop songs. This happened a lot in the 1990s and 2000s.
Almost 300 artists have sampled McCann's music. Some of these famous artists include A Tribe Called Quest, Cypress Hill, De La Soul, the Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige.
Key Albums
- Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Truth (1960)
- Pretty Lady (1961)
- Les McCann Sings (1961)
- Les McCann Plays the Hits (1966)
- Swiss Movement (1969)
- Comment (1970)
- Invitation to Openness (1972)
- Talk to the People (1972)
- Layers (1973)
- Pump It Up (2002)
See also
In Spanish: Les McCann para niños
