Harold McNair

Born on November 5, 1931 in Kingston, Jamaica, Harold McNair was a Caribbean jazz flautist and saxophonist. The first decade of his musical career was spent in the Bahamas, where he performed and recorded under the stage name Little G. During these early years, his repertoire was focused on Caribbean music rather than jazz, but by the time he recorded his debut album, Bahama Bash (1960), his music included strong jazz influences. Harold McNair relocated Europe in 1960, touring with Quincy Jones and working on scores for film and TV. He settled in London, working with bassist Charles Mingus during his time in England. In the early 1960s, he also worked with saxophonist Zoot Sims, drummer Tony Crombie, and percussionist Jack Costanzo. In 1964, he released his first all-jazz album, Up in the Air with Harold McNair. His album Affectionate Fink (1965) was an early release on Island Records. In 1968, he released the album Harold McNair, which featured his best-known song “The Hipster”. Other albums in his catalog include Flute and Nut (1970), The Fence (1970), and a posthumous self-titled release in 1972. He also appeared as a sideman on albums by Jimi Hendrix, Blossom Dearie, Ginger Baker’s Air Force, and Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis. Harold McNair died on March 7, 1971 of lung cancer.

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