Jazz Beat: Ramsey Lewis Trio

In 1965, pianist Ramsey Lewis’ version of “The In Crowd,” with its joyous bounce, crossed over to hit No. 5 on the pop chart. The next year, the Ramsey Lewis Trio won the Grammy Award for best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance for “Hold It Right There.” (The drummer was Maurice White, who three years later would leave to co-found Earth, Wind & Fire.) For more than half a century, Lewis’ music has straddled jazz, R&B and pop to delight every kind of audience. He once hosted a weekly radio show and a PBS series, both titled Legends of Jazz. Now in his 80s, Lewis is one of those legends. Saturday night, as part of the Jazz at the Gem series and the 2017 Martin Luther King Day celebration, the Ramsey Lewis Trio takes the Gem Theater stage.

8 p.m. Saturday, January 14, at the Gem Theater, 1601 East 18th Street ($45 and up)