His fifth album, 1974's Mister Magic, was a commercial success, and introduced guitarist Eric Gale as a near-permanent member in Washington's arsenal. This is one of Grover Washington, Jr.'s best-loved recordings and considered a classic of r&bish jazz. All four songs (which includes Billy Strayhorn's "Passion Flower") are quite enjoyable but it is "Mister Magic" that really caught on as a major hit. Bob James provided the colorful if somewhat commercial arrangements, there are spots for guitarist Eric Gale, and Washington (mostly on tenor and soprano) is heard in particularly creative form. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.