Ain’t No Mountain High Enough: James Jamerson’s Bass Line Visualized
Vulfpeck’s Jack Stratton sent me another one of his cool visualization videos highlighting another impressive bass line by the one and only James Jamerson.
This time around, the tune is the performance of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. The song, written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson and recorded on the Tamla Motown label was a hit single in 1967.
Jack told me, “This song was the first time I noticed Jamerson’s playing.”
There’s just something about these visualizations that make Jamerson’s playing even more impressive… if that’s even possible.
Be sure to check out the previous visualization on “For Once in My Life” too.
James would’ve love to see this…..Absolutely Fantastic.
genial!!!
Note labels would be the cherry on the cake….possible App?!!!
I would love to see this done with standard notation. I think that would mean more.
Absolute genius. The bass line caries the whole song, it’s like a force of nature. I agree with Jason Mosall, I’d love to “see” it in standard notation.
Exactly, it would help to transcribe it, we already have solid system of visualizing music. lol
In standard notation only two semitone intervals have vertical motion. In JS’s visualizations all twelve do.
I would like to see this, not necessarily against a clef to see notation, but against a grid of the drums to see where he pushes and pulls the beat!
Then go and get this excellent book, Standing in the shadows of Motown:
http://www.bassbooks.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=44
Can you do this for the Four Tops’ “Bernadette”?
That’s really really cool!!
This needs to be done for Thank You (fallettinme be mice elf agin) by Sly & the Family Stone
I would love to see this done with James Jamerson’s playing on Stevie Wonder’s, “I Was Made To Love Her.” In that song, it’s his riff at the end of each chorus that is the most predominant hook in the song. How many bass lines can you ascribe that attribute too? He’s amazing.
Carol Kaye play bass on “I Was Made To Love Her”.
*played
absolute bullshit. please don’t perpetuate ms kaye’s delusions.
Actually it seems James and Nick are correct here. ‘Refuting Carol’s claims is Allan Slutsky, author of Standing In The Shadows of Motown. His research shows that James Jamerson, who was the bass player of the Motown house band The Funk Brothers, played the bass on this track. All Motown associates he contacted, including the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team, said it was Jamerson, and Hank Crosby, who co-wrote and did production on this song, signed an affidavit saying that the bass line was performed by Jamerson’.
I like to kno how this was made, which program or with which application. Does someone know this??
“James Jamerson was and absolutely one of the all time greatest bass guitarists. He contributed to the definitive of the instrument. Indeed he was the back beat of the Motown sound in his time!”
Excellent work, shading a bit more light on quite possibly one of the best bass lines ever made.
Kudos JJ, you won’t be forgotten!