Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 10, 2026

The Opening Round

The Opening Round, subtitled The Groove Masters Series Vol. 1 is an album by saxophonist Houston Person which was recorded in 1997 and released on the Savant label.

Last revised
Jul 10, 2026
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The Opening Round
Studio album by
Houston Person
ReleasedJuly 1, 1997
RecordedFebruary 5, 1997
StudioVan Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
GenreJazz
Length55:20
LabelSavant
SCD 2005
ProducerHouston Person
Houston Person chronology
Person-ified
(1996) 		The Opening Round
(1997) 		My Romance
(1998)

The Opening Round, subtitled The Groove Masters Series Vol. 1 is an album by saxophonist Houston Person which was recorded in 1997 and released on the Savant label.123

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllmusicStarStarStar4
The Penguin Guide to Jazz RecordingsStarStarStar5

In his review on Allmusic, Stewart Mason states "A fun and personable mix of jazz and soul classics plus a couple of originals by guitarist Rodney Jones, Houston Person's The Opening Round: Groove Masters Series, Vol. 1 isn't a jazz album for the ages, but it's start-to-finish entertaining. It's a straight-up groove album, with Person in front of a four-piece organ combo".4 In JazzTimes, Stanley Dance wrote: "Person’s thick, unmannered tone, love of melody and swing, together give his music an odd sobriety that he seems compelled to relieve with fast flurries of notes".6

Track listing

  1. "Sweet Sucker" (Johnny Griffin) – 1:27
  2. "Let's Stay Together" (Al Green, Al Jackson Jr., Willie Mitchell) – 3:56
  3. "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 4:06
  4. "What's Going On?" (Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland) – 2:32
  5. "When a Man Loves a Woman" (Calvin Lewis, Andrew Wright) – 3:41
  6. "Blue Spring" (Rodney Jones) – 4:35
  7. "Song for a Rainbow" (Jones) – 3:57
  8. "Shenandoah" (Traditional) – 4:55

Personnel

References

References

  1. Jazz Depot: Savant discography accessed March 7, 2018
  2. Payne, D. Houston Person Discography accessed March 7, 2018
  3. Enciclopedia del Jazz: Houston Person accessed March 12, 2018
  4. Mason, Stewart. Houston Person – The Opening Round: Groove Masters Series, Vol. 1: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  5. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1149. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
  6. Dance, S. JazzTimes Review, accessed March 7, 2018