Grasella Oliphant, "Grass is Greener"

[bertrand]

[Harold_Z]

I have a vinyl copy of "The Grass Is Greener" that I bought back in the day. They play the head twice.

That's a shitty thing to edit. On this tune the head is really setting up the whole solo thing.

OK, mystery deepens.

I have the Japanese CD (AMCY1285) and they play the head once. So that's the same as the new CD.

I have the original LP, as well, and they play the head ONCE!

WTF?

MG

THAT is strange. Now the thing is somebody who has both versions has to listen to see if it's a different take. My lp is mono. Maybe the mono and stereo have different takes? If so - GREAT !

[bertrand]

Harold and MG,

What are the catalog numbers on your LPs? My theory is that Harold has an earlier version with a head played twice. MG has a reissue where the head was edited, perhaps because the tape went bad or something? Or maybe the first 30 seconds were lost in the great Atlantic warehouse fire

Our friend Claude Schlouch may have some explanation in his GG discography. Forgetting any CD reissues, we are confronted with the following fact: some pressings of the vinyl are edited, some not.

Perhaps we need to call a certain golf course in Jersey

Bertrand.

Edited May 7, 2006 by bertrand

[Harold_Z]

Harold and MG,

What are the catalog numbers on your LPs?

Bertrand.

Mine is Atlantic mono 1494.

I didn't time it but the jacket says 6:35.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Harold and MG,

What are the catalog numbers on your LPs?

Bertrand.

Mine is Atlantic mono 1494.

I didn't time it but the jacket says 6:35.

Mine is SD1494 - yes, maybe the answer is that the mono and stereo versions are different. And that would explain why the CDs are like my LP - they're stereo.

I didn't think that one actually came out in mono. Just checked my 1969 Schwann - apparently it did. However, the mono version was never imported into Britain. I only had a mono system then so I'd have bought the mono copy in preference, had one been available.

NOW, Harold, you have to listen all the way through to both versions to determine whether it's an edit or an alternative take.

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Our friend Claude Schlouch may have some explanation in his GG discography.

Bertrand, is that discography on line anywhere?

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Question begging: are there any other differences between the mono and stereo versions?

MG

[Harold_Z]

NOW, Harold, you have to listen all the way through to both versions to determine whether it's an edit or an alternative take.

MG

Now I have an excuse to spend even MORE money on cds !

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

NOW, Harold, you have to listen all the way through to both versions to determine whether it's an edit or an alternative take.

MG

Now I have an excuse to spend even MORE money on cds !

I thought you had both versions... (scratches head) How did we find out the two heads were different?

MG

Edit - Just looked back. It's BERTRAND who has both versions, it seems. Come on, then Bertrand, put us out of our misery.

MG

Edited May 7, 2006 by The Magnificent Goldberg

[bertrand]

MG,

Claude's discographies are not available on-line - contact him to see how to get a copy. I sent him a PM - let's see what his take is on this.

I do have both the Collectables CD and a burn of the LP with the 'unedited' version. It's when I saw the differences in the timings that I knew something was up. I like the stereo vs. mono theory.

I was going to do a thorough compare, but immediately caught the differences in the head so stopped there. It was 2 AM

I will try to compare in the next few days. I'm intrigued by the alternate take idea. I was wondering how to treat this problem on my iPod (remember my Green/Patton playlist?). I was going to REPLACE the burn with the CD. Now I will do that, but keep the vinyl 'Yodel' and call it an alternate!

Harold,

I'm wondering if they really played the head once and it was repeated in the mono by splicing. The two run-throughs sound very similar. What do you think?

You can get the CD from www.oldies.com for under $10 with shipping. I tossed in the Vitous CD for $4 extra. Good deal.

Maybe we really need to put in a call to a certain golf course manager

Bertrand.

Edited May 7, 2006 by bertrand

[Harold_Z]

Harold,

I'm wondering if they really played the head once and it was repeated in the mono by splicing. The two run-throughs sound very similar. What do you think?

You can get the CD from www.oldies.com for under $10 with shipping. I tossed in the Vitous CD for $4 extra. Good deal.

Maybe we really need to put in a call to a certain golf course manager

Bertrand.

It's definitely not a splice. The horns are sustaining right through the vamp where it goes from the first chorus to the second and I hear differences in Ben Dixon's playing, particlularly on that accented part towards the end of each chorus.

I think I will score the cd. I don't have Grasella's other album plus "Grass Is Greener" may be an entire "alternate" album!

Edited May 7, 2006 by Harold_Z

[Harold_Z]

YEAH ! I"M ALRIGHT.

Grassella's playing - NO Ben Dixon. I'm so used to Ben being the drummer with John Patton And G.G,. that my brain completely glossed over the fact that Grassella is A DRUMMER!

OK. To correct myself - I hear differences in Grassella's playing from one chorus to the other.

Also, FWIW - they play the head twice on "Got A Good Thing Goin'"

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Harold,

I'm wondering if they really played the head once and it was repeated in the mono by splicing. The two run-throughs sound very similar. What do you think?

You can get the CD from www.oldies.com for under $10 with shipping. I tossed in the Vitous CD for $4 extra. Good deal.

Maybe we really need to put in a call to a certain golf course manager

Bertrand.

It's definitely not a splice. The horns are sustaining right through the vamp where it goes from the first chorus to the second and I hear differences in Ben Dixon's playing, particlularly on that accented part towards the end of each chorus.

I think I will score the cd. I don't have Grasella's other album plus "Grass Is Greener" may be an entire "alternate" album!

"The Grass roots" is another good album, with more excellent Ousley work and some good sounds from Bobby Hutcherson. And lovely tunes by Ousley, who should be better known for writing enjoyable jazz pieces. I'm still seriously considering the Collectables, even though I have "Greener" on CD and "Roots" on a stereo LP.

MG

[Claude Schlouch]

Hello folks,

I have the HDCD japanese reissue (Atlantic AMCY-1285) which contains 8 tracks.

Bertrand,

Pour répondre à ta question, je n'ai rien remarqué d'anormal. The Yodel dure 6:32 chrono, le solo de Grant Green dure 1:27 chrono, les autres solistes sont dans l'ordre:

Green

Patton

Ousley

Terry

Je n'ai que le CD japonais. Je n'ai donc pu comparer avec les autres rééditions. Désolé.

A bientôt, "vieux frère"!

Claude, your friend