Biography
Born on 5 November 1931 in Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies, and passing away on 7 March 1971 in London, England, saxophonist McNair first performed calypso under the name Little G, initially in his native land and later in the Bahamas. By the late 50s he had relocated to America and onward to Europe, where he collaborated with jazz figures such as Kenny Clarke and Quincy Jones while fronting his own small ensemble and alternating between saxophone and the flute he had recently mastered. His distinctive flute phrasing soon drew attention beyond jazz circles, leading to studio work with Donovan, John Martyn, and CCS. Maintaining a transatlantic schedule for a period, McNair settled in London during the mid-60s. From that point until his death from lung cancer in 1971, he recorded and performed with both British and American artists spanning mainstream and modern styles while remaining active as a session musician; decades afterward, his recordings were frequently sampled.
Albums
