On July 1, 1997, “Savant” label released “The Opening Round”, subtitled “The Groove Masters Series Vol. 1”, the 43rd Houston Person album. It was recorded in February 1997, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, and was produced by Houston Person.
Personnel:
- Houston Person– tenor saxophone
- Joey DeFrancesco– Hammond B3 organ
- Rodney Jones– guitar
- Tracy Wormworth– electric bass
- Bernard Purdie– drums
Track listing:
- Sweet Sucker – Johnny Griffin
- Let’s Stay Together – Al Green, Al Jackson Jr., Willie Mitchell
- Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man – Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II
- What’s Going On? – Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland
- When a Man Loves a Woman – Calvin Lewis, Andrew Wright
- Blue Spring – Rodney Jones
- Song for a Rainbow – Rodney Jones
- Shenandoah – traditional

