Depois de "um longo e tenebroso inverno"...um aparte na viagem, sonhando com o "paraíso".

1970...James Jamerson, gênio...Marvin Gaye, gênio...Motown, paraíso de gênios.
O que esperar? Óbvio: Genialidades!!!

- 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".

http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2014/06/27/aint-no-mountain-high-enough-james-jamersons-bass-line-visualized/

- "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is an R&B/soul song written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla Motown label. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, becoming a hit again in 1970 when recorded by former Supremes frontwoman Diana Ross. The song became Ross' first solo number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

History:
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell original
The song was written by Ashford and Simpson prior to joining Motown. British soul singer Dusty Springfield wanted to record the song but the duo declined, hoping it would give them access to the Detroit-based label. As Valerie Simpson later recalled, "We played that song for her (Springfield) but wouldn't give it to her, because we wanted to hold that back. We felt like that could be our entree to Motown. Nick called it the 'golden egg'."

The original 1967 version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was a top twenty hit. According to record producers, Terrell was a little nervous and intimidated during recording because she did not rehearse the lyrics. Terrell recorded her vocals alone with producers Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol, who added Gaye's vocal at a later date. "Ain't No Mountain" peaked at number nineteen on the Billboard pop charts, and went to number three on the R&B charts.

This original version of "Ain't No Mountain", produced by Fuqua and Bristol, was a care-free, danceable, and romantic love song that became the signature duet between Gaye and Terrell. Its success led to a string of more Ashford/Simpson penned duets (including "You're All I Need to Get By", "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing", and "Your Precious Love").

The Gaye/Terrell version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and is regarded today as one of the most important records ever released by Motown.

Diana Ross version:

After the Top 20 success of her first single, "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)", Ashford and Simpson had Ross re-record "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". Initially, Ross was apprehensive, as she had previously covered the song as a member of the Supremes in a duet with The Temptations (see below). Eventually, however, she was convinced to make the recording. The cover produced a version similar to gospel with elements of classical music strings (provided by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra), spoken word passages from Ross, with the Andantes, Jimmy Beavers, and Ashford and Simpson as backing singers giving the song a soul and gospel vocal element.

Motown chief Berry Gordy did not like the record upon first hearing it. He hated the spoken-word passages and wanted the song to begin with the climactic chorus/bridge. It was not until radio stations nationwide were editing their own versions and adding it to their playlists that Ashford and Simpson were able to convince Gordy to release an edited three-minute version as a single. Ross' version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" rose up to number one on both the pop and R&B singles charts. The single sold, in just the USA, alone, 1,245,000 copies becoming a Gold Record and, Ross, receiving a Grammy Nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. This version is in the key of C minor.

With The Supremes, Diana Ross recorded a version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" which was more faithful to the Terrell-Gaye original version as a duet with The Temptations. That song was an album cut from a joint LP released by Motown Records in 1968 on the two superstar groups, titled Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations. In 2000, KLM used this version as a commercial.

1981 saw the recording by Inner Life of the underground dance classic "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", produced by Patrick Adams and Greg Carmichael, remixed by Larry Levan, and released on the Salsoul label. The same year saw an upbeat disco version by the Boys Town Gang who recorded it as a medley with another Ashford & Simpson song, "Remember Me". The full version of this song is nearly 14 minutes long and can be found on their album Cruisin the Street.

Stacy Lattisaw and Howard Hewett sang "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" on Personal Attention album in 1988.

In 1993 Sister Act 2 covered "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" both in the movie and soundtrack, mixing the Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell and Diana Ross versions together.

Australian singer Jimmy Barnes released an album of soul covers titled Soul Deep in 1991, including his rock version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". This cover reached #28 in Australia in 1992.

In 1997, Whitney Houston performed the song live as a part of her medley tribute to Diana Ross on her Classic Whitney Live from Washington, D.C. concert.

The 2000 film Remember the Titans featured a version of the song performed by the cast.

Former Doobie Brother Michael McDonald recorded the song as part of his Motown album in 2003.

In 2004, the 12 finalists of American Idol covered the song for the ensemble track for the cast album American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics.

In 2006, Australian vocal group Human Nature included a cover on the second album of their Motown trilogy, Dancing in the Street: the Songs of Motown II. The album debuted at #1 on the ARIA charts.

In 2006, Amy Winehouse recorded the song "Tears Dry On Their Own" for her album Back to Black, which keeps the chord progression, accompaniment arrangement, and instrumentation of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", but which contains a different sung melody with new lyrics written by Winehouse.

A duet between Eddie Money & his daughter Jesse Money is featured on his 2007 cover album Wanna Go Back.

In 2009, Lionel Richie and Stefanie Heinzmann performed the song live in the German music award show Echo 2009.

In 2009, Dionne Bromfield covered this song on her debut album "Introducing Dionne Bromfield".

In 2011, the song was re-recorded by Paul Epworth and used in a commercial for DHL.

In 2013, Michael Bolton covered the song, which featured Kelly Rowland, for his 2013 album "Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Tribute to Hitsville". That version was also more faithful to the Terrell-Gaye original version.

In 2014, Jennifer Lopez performed the song at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards as part of her song First Love.

Personnel:

Gaye/Terrell version

All vocals by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers and Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Ross version

Lead Vocals by Diana Ross
Background Vocals by Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Joshie Armstead, Jimmy Beavers, and The Andantes: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps[citation needed]
Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, with Valerie Simpson on the piano.




PS - The Funk Brothers:

The Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. They are considered one of the most successful groups of studio musicians in music history. The Funk Brothers played on Motown hits such as "My Girl", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Baby Love", "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours", "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", "The Tears of a Clown", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", and "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave".

The role of the Funk Brothers is described in Paul Justman's 2002 documentary film Standing in the Shadows of Motown, based on Allan Slutsky's book of the same name. The opening titles claim that the Funk Brothers have "played on more number-one hits than The Beatles, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys combined."

Members:

As discussed above, the name "The Funk Brothers" was a loosely-applied designation. Although the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences recognizes 13 musicians as official "Funk Brothers", the name is often casually used as a catch-all designation to cover any musician who played on a Motown record. In fact, the "Funk Brothers" name wasn't used until sometime in the mid-1960s when Mickey Stevenson gave them the nickname.

The following list covers the musicians most frequently used on Motown recordings from 1959 through 1972; it is not an exhaustive list of every musician ever used. The 13 Funk Brothers recognized as official band members by NARAS are marked with an asterisk.

Membership lists based upon research by Allan Slutsky, with some minor corrections.

Detroit musicians:

Keyboardists:
Joe Hunter (band leader, 1959–1964)*
Earl Van Dyke (band leader, 1964–1972)*
Richard "Popcorn" Wylie (1959–1962)
Johnny Griffith (1963–1972)*
Johnny Gittens (1963–1967)
Ted Sheely (1963–1967)

Guitarists:
Robert White (1959–1972)*
Eddie "Chank" Willis (1959–1972)*
Joe Messina (1959–1972)*
Larry Veeder (1959–1962)
Dave Hamilton (1959–1962)
Huey Davis (1959–1967, The Contours' road and studio guitarist)
Marvin Tarplin (1958–1973, The Miracles' road and studio guitarist).
Cornelius Grant (1963–1972, The Temptations' road guitarist/band leader)
Dennis Coffey (1967–1972)
Melvin "Wah Wah Watson" Ragin (1968–1972)
Ray Parker Jr. (1968-1972)
Ray Monette

Bassists:
James Jamerson (1959–1972)*
Clarence Isabell (1959–1962)
Bob Babbitt (1967–1972)*
Edward Pickens (1968–1972)
Tweed Beard
Joe Williams
Michael Henderson
Joe James
Antonio "Tony" Newton

Accordion:
John Milewski - "Johnnie Miles" (1965-1970)

Drums:
William "Benny" Benjamin (1959–1969)*
Richard "Pistol" Allen (1959–1972)*
George McGregor (1959–1962)
Corey Jahns (1959–1967) bongos
Clifford Mack (1959–1962)
Marvin Gaye (1961–1962)
Uriel Jones (1963–1972)*
Freddie Waits (1963–1967)
Andrew Smith (1968–1972)

Percussion:
Jack Ashford (1959–1972, tambourine)*
Eddie "Bongo" Brown (1959–1972, various)*

Vibes:
Jack Ashford (1959–1972) (also listed above)*
Dave Hamilton (1959–1962)
James Gittens (1959–1962)
Jack Brokensha (1963–1972)

Trumpets:
Herbie Williams
John "Little John" Wilson
Marcus Belgrave
Russell Conway
Johnny Trudell
Floyd Jones
Maurice Davis
Billy Horner
Don Slaughter
Eddie Jones

Saxophones:
Henry "Hank" Cosby
Andrew "Mike" Terry
Norris Patterson
Thomas "Beans" Bowles
Teddy Buckner
Walter "Choker" Campbell
Ronnie Wakefield
"Lefty" Edwards
Eli Fountain
Ernie Rodgers
Kasuku Mafia
Eugene "BeeBee" Moore
William "Wild Bill" Moore
Angelo Carlisi
Dan Turner
Bernie Peacock
Larry Nozero
Lanny Austin

Trombones:
Bob Cousar
George Bohanon
Paul Riser
Jimmy Wilkens
Don White
Carl Raetz
Patrick Lanier
Bill Johnson
Ed Gooch

Flute:
Dayna Hartwick
Thomas "Beans" Bowles

Strings:
Gordon Staples and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Strings Section

Los Angeles musicians:

Los Angeles was an alternate recording center for Motown artists beginning in the mid-1960s, utilizing a different set of musicians. Hit tracks recorded in LA include The Miracles' "More Love", many of Brenda Holloway's songs, and all the early hits of The Jackson 5.

Many of the Los Angeles players were members of The Wrecking Crew collective of studio musicians.

Keyboards:
Mike Rubini
Joe Sample
Clarence McDonald
Don Randi
Larry Knechtel

Guitars:
Ray Parker Jr
Melvin "Wah Wah Watson" Ragin
Arthur Wright
Doug Bartenfeld
David T. Walker
Tommy Tedesco
Louie Shelton
Adolph Green
Weldon T. Parks
Dennis Coffey

Bass:
Carol Kaye
Wilton Felder
Bill Pitman
Jacob Aaron Greenberg
Ron Brown

Drums:
Earl Palmer
Jacob Greenberg
Gene Pello
Paul Humphreys

Percussion:
Gary Coleman
Bobbye Hall Porter
King Errisson
Joe Clayton
Sandra Crouch
Jerry Steinholtz
Emil Richard

Fonte: Wikipédia.

 

Atualizado em 08/06/2020.