Kicking off our week celebrating Grover Washington, Jr's birthday with an incredible live jam of "Mr Magic." Grover's big break came in 1971, when producer Creed Taylor commissioned pop-funk arrangements to feature alto saxophonist Hank Crawford. When Crawford failed to show up for the recording session, Grover was his replacement. The resulting album, ''Inner City Blues,'' sold hundreds of thousands of copies and helped launch Grover Washington, Jr.'s solo career. Grover Washington, Jr. - Dec.

Missing the wonderful Grover Washington Jr on his birthday. Grover was special and could play straight ahead, classical to contemporary. This band has so many members we miss dearly: #RalphMcDonald, #EricGale, #RichardTee...hard to believe. But we've got Dr. Steve Gadd on the drums and #AnthonyJackson on bass and #Paul Griffin on synthesizers. This performance of Mr. Magic was recorded in Grover's hometown of Philly in 1981. | JazzCorner

Do yourself a favor and just listen to more of Grover Washington, Jr. today. Grover's big break came in 1971, when producer Creed Taylor commissioned pop-funk arrangements to feature alto saxophonist Hank Crawford. When Crawford failed to show up for the recording session, Grover was his replacement. The resulting album, ''Inner City Blues,'' sold hundreds of thousands of copies and helped launch Grover’s solo career. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Washington made some of the genre’s most memor