Cy McLean was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia in 1916. He was a pianist and bandleader who worked from the 1940s until the 1970s. He subsequently traveled to Toronto and received entry into a Russian music conservatory, which was unprecedented for a black man at the time. After performing across Toronto, he began creating a name for himself as a brilliant player. He ultimately formed Canada’s first full-fledged black orchestra.

McLean then went on to mentor several important Canadian jazz players. Although he and his band performed in non-union institutions, they were reasonably successful during World War II. They toured much of southern Ontario and established themselves as one of the first all-black acts to perform in an all-white arena. His band was the first to open Toronto’s Colonial Tavern, a considerable feat given that black musicians were previously barred from performing in Yonge Street clubs.

McLean died in 1986 at 70, yet he is remembered for his innovative achievements as a black musician in a turbulent time. Mark McLean and Lester McLean, his nephews, carry on the family history with their outstanding jazz performances.