title: The Opening Round
text: # 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.
  
  ## Reception
  
  Professional ratings :
  
  | Review scores ||
  | - | - |
  | Source | Rating |
  | Allmusic | |
  | The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | |
  
  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". 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".
  
  ## Track listing
  
  * "Sweet Sucker" (Johnny Griffin) – 1:27
  * "Let's Stay Together" (Al Green, Al Jackson Jr., Willie Mitchell) – 3:56
  * "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 4:06
  * "What's Going On?" (Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland) – 2:32
  * "When a Man Loves a Woman" (Calvin Lewis, Andrew Wright) – 3:41
  * "Blue Spring" (Rodney Jones) – 4:35
  * "Song for a Rainbow" (Jones) – 3:57
  * "Shenandoah" (Traditional) – 4:55
  
  ## Personnel
  
  * Houston Person – tenor saxophone
  * Joey DeFrancesco – Hammond B3 organ
  * Rodney Jones – guitar
  * Tracy Wormworth – electric bass
  * Bernard Purdie – drums
  