Interview with martha high, former james brown backup singer

[funkyone71]

Hello soul family! Below is a link to a recent interview I conducted with Martha High, former backup singer with the James Brown revue. Hope you enjoy the read.

http://soultrain.com/2014/07/10/qa-martha-high/

[blueskies]

Martha High
Martha High [[plus bonus tracks)

CD [[Item 700024) Salsoul/Octave [[Japan), 1979 — Condition: New Copy

$21.99 ... CD


[[€16.05 || £12.78 || ¥2215) [[approx.)


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One of the few albums ever from Martha High – a singer best known for her earlier work with James Brown, recording here with production from the Godfather himself! The vibe is more Salsoul disco than James Brown funk – although there's definitely some snapping grooves in the mix that recall some of Brown's own disco material of the time – and arrangements are from the great Tommy Stewart, of Atlanta club fame – who sets things up in a great way for High's deeper soul vocals! Titles include the surprisingly great [[but poorly-titled) "He's My Ding Dong Man", which has some very tasty electronic funk – almost moogy P&P modes – plus a nice remake of "Don't Ask My Neighbors", and the tracks "Showdown", "Wallflower", and "Oh This Feeling". CD features bonus cuts – "He's My Ding Dong Man [[12" mix)", "Wallflower [[12" mix)", "Showdown [[orig single)", and "He's My Ding Dong Man [[single version)".

[rrussi]

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed reading that. Martha High was around many many times when I would see James Brown in Florida.

[splanky]

I'm very grateful to you, funkyone, for that interview. Found out a lot of things I had no idea
of. I've loved the Jewels sound forever and never knew about her time with the group or
George Clinton's connection. My favorite of their back up work was on Billy Stewart's Stange Feeling where they sound like Labelle so much that for the longest I thought Patti was on
that track. I don't really have much taste for the disco stuff but I want to check out Martha's
other work this weekend. I so like her comments on the differences between music today
and back in the 70's and I'm also glad she's a Ledisi fan. Great job!...

[stephanie]

I share Splankys sentiment. Very good article and shed some light on things I didnt know. My brother Ronald has been playing behind the Jewels for years and I knew about their association with James Brown but Ms High had more things to say that I didnt know. I didnt know about the George Clinton association either.

Great job! Keep bringing it when you can,
Stephanie

[funkyone71]

Thank you everybody for your comments about my interview with Ms. High. She is such an amazing woman and is so worthy of wider recognition.

[motony]

I first met Martha High, she was one of the "Soul Twins", who backed up Lyn Collins on the JB Revue when Lyn first joined.I don't know what happened to Binky, the other "Soul Twin".