As the New York Times reported, McCann died on Dec. 29, 2023; his long-standing manager, Alan Abrahams, confirmed the news. The Kentucky native was influential in helping put subgenre soul jazz on the map, per Billboard.
Born in 1935 to a musical family, McCann learned how to play the piano by ear. During a performance for a Navy talent contest, his talent captured the attention of many, including a behind-the-scenes employee at The Ed Sullivan Show, which landed the composer a guest appearance on the variety show that catapulted his career. Afterward, he earned one of his first hit singles, “The Shampoo,” in 1963.
A few years later, he signed with Atlantic Records and released numerous albums under the label until the mid-70s. During his time with Atlantic, he released the collaborative Grammy-nominated album, Swiss Movement, with recognized saxophonist and labelmate Eddie Harris and trumpet player Benny Bailey under the group name McCann and Co. After the group’s live performance of “Compared to What” in Switzerland at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1969, he became a household name.
A couple of years later, he hit the stage with Harris and music giants Ike and Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, Santana, The Staple Singers and the Voices of East Harlem for an unforgettable concert that lasted 14 hours and was filmed in Ghana for the Soul To Soul documentary. He also discovered Roberta Flack while she was singing at Mr. Henry’s in Washington, D.C., and pitched her to Atlantic Records. “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” songstress was immediately signed by the record label and quickly rose to fame.
McCann’s innovative music style has remained relevant over the decades, as nearly 300 artists have sampled his timeless songs. The hip-hop community has been one genre that has repurposed his music countless times. His song “Sometimes I Cry” was used by Slick Rick for “Runnin’ Wit No Brakes” with Warren G, whilst “Go On and Cry” was featured in Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre‘s “Tha Next Episode.” His 1972 hit “Vallarta” can be heard in Notorious B.I.G.‘s “Ten Crack Commandments,” and “North Carolina” was sampled by A Tribe Called Quest and ScHoolboy Q.
