Les McCann

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.