Les McCann • Les McCann Ltd. In New York

 

 

Leslie Coleman "Les" McCann (born September 23, 1935, in Lexington, Kentucky) is an American soul jazz pianist and vocalist whose biggest successes came as a crossover artist into R&B and soul.

An early musical success for McCann was his winning of a Navy talent contest for singing; this led to an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. McCann's main career began in the early 1960s when he recorded as a pianist with his trio for Pacific Jazz Records.

In 1969, Atlantic Records released Swiss Movement, a recording of McCann with frequent collaborator, saxophonist Eddie Harris, and guest trumpeter Benny Bailey at that year's Montreux Jazz Festival. The album contained the song "Compared to What", and both the album and the single were huge Billboard pop chart successes. "Compared to What" featured political criticism of the Vietnam War. The song was not written by McCann; fellow Atlantic composer/singer Eugene McDaniels wrote it years earlier. "Compared to What" was initially recorded and released as a ballad by Les McCann in 1967 on his Les McCann Play The Hits, issued on the Limelight label. Roberta Flack's version appeared as the opening track on her debut recording, First Take (1969).

After the success of Swiss Movement, McCann – primarily a piano player – began to emphasize his rough-hewn vocals more. He became an innovator in the soul jazz style, merging jazz with funk, soul and world rhythms; much of his early 1970s music prefigures the Stevie Wonder albums of that decade. He was among the first jazz musicians to include electric piano, clavinet, and synthesizer in his music.

In 1971, he and Harris were part of a group of soul, R&B, and rock performers – including Wilson Pickett, the Staple Singers, Santana and Ike & Tina Turner – who flew to Accra, Ghana for a historic 14-hour concert before more than 100,000 Ghanaians. The March 6 concert was recorded for the documentary film Soul To Soul. In 2004 the movie was released on DVD with an accompanying soundtrack album.

Les McCann discovered Roberta Flack and arranged an audition which resulted in a recording contract for her with Atlantic Records.

A mild stroke in the mid-1990s sidelined McCann for a while, but in 2002 he released a new album, Pump it Up. McCann has also exhibited as a painter and photographer.

///////

Leslie Coleman "Les" McCann (nacida el 23 de septiembre de 1935 en Lexington, Kentucky) es una pianista y vocalista estadounidense de soul jazz cuyos mayores éxitos se produjeron como artista crossover en el R&B y el soul.

Uno de los primeros éxitos musicales de McCann fue que ganó un concurso de talentos de la Marina para cantar, lo que le llevó a aparecer en The Ed Sullivan Show. La principal carrera de McCann comenzó a principios del decenio de 1960 cuando grabó como pianista con su trío para Pacific Jazz Records.

En 1969, Atlantic Records publicó Swiss Movement, una grabación de McCann con su frecuente colaborador, el saxofonista Eddie Harris, y el trompetista invitado Benny Bailey en el Festival de Jazz de Montreux de ese año. El álbum contenía la canción "Compared to What", y tanto el álbum como el sencillo fueron grandes éxitos en las listas de éxitos pop de Billboard. "Compared to What" presentaba críticas políticas a la guerra de Vietnam. La canción no fue escrita por McCann; su compañero compositor y cantante Eugene McDaniels la escribió años antes. "Comparado con qué" fue inicialmente grabado y lanzado como una balada por Les McCann en 1967 en su obra Les McCann Play The Hits, publicada por el sello Limelight. La versión de Roberta Flack apareció como la pista de apertura en su grabación debut, First Take (1969).

Tras el éxito del Movimiento Suizo, McCann -principalmente un pianista- comenzó a hacer más hincapié en su voz áspera. Se convirtió en un innovador del estilo de jazz soul, fusionando el jazz con el funk, el soul y los ritmos del mundo; gran parte de su música de principios del decenio de 1970 prefigura los álbumes de Stevie Wonder de esa década. Fue uno de los primeros músicos de jazz en incluir el piano eléctrico, el clavinet y el sintetizador en su música.

En 1971, él y Harris formaron parte de un grupo de intérpretes de soul, R&B y rock -incluyendo a Wilson Pickett, los Staple Singers, Santana e Ike & Tina Turner- que volaron a Accra, Ghana, para un histórico concierto de 14 horas ante más de 100.000 ghaneses. El concierto del 6 de marzo se grabó para la película documental Soul To Soul. En 2004 la película se estrenó en DVD con un álbum de banda sonora de acompañamiento.

Les McCann descubrió a Roberta Flack y organizó una audición que dio lugar a un contrato de grabación para ella con Atlantic Records.

Un leve derrame cerebral a mediados de los 90 dejó a McCann fuera de juego por un tiempo, pero en 2002 lanzó un nuevo álbum, Pump it Up. McCann también ha expuesto como pintor y fotógrafo.

Tracks:
Recorded live at the Village Gate in NYC on December 28, 1961 (tracks 01-06).
01. Chip Monck - 7:44
02. Fayth, You're... - 6:09
03. Cha-Cha Twist - 7:36
04. A Little 3/4 For God & Co. - 9:21
05. Maxie's Changes - 8:52
Bonuses:
06. Someone Stole My Chitlins - 5:10
07. One More Hamhock Please (Curtis Amy) (recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios in Hollywood, CA in late 1960) - 8:54
08. Oatmeal (Les McCann, Bobby Hutcherson) (recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios in Hollywood, CA in late 1960) - 4:56


Personnel:
- Les McCann - piano
- Herbie Lewis - bass
- Ron Jefferson - drums
- Blue Mitchell - trumpet (01-06)
- Stanley Turrentine - tenor saxophone (01-06)
- Frank Haynes - tenor saxophone (01-06)
- Curtis Amy - tenor saxophone (07)
- Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone (07,08)
- Richard Bock - producer

All compositions by Les McCann except where noted.

MORE Les McCann ...





This file is intended only for preview!
I ask you to delete the file from your hard drive or device after reading it.
thank for the original uploader

 

Tip: Use JDownloader