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.[1][2][3]

The Opening Round
Studio album by
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)

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [4]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings    [5]

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

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  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

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References

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  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. ^ a b 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