Martha Veléz (born in New York City on August 25, 1945) is an American singer and actress of Puerto Rican descent.
Backing musicians included Eric Clapton, Stan Webb (Chicken Shack), and Paul Kossoff (Free) on guitar, Christine McVie (Fleetwood Mac) on keyboards, Jack Bruce on bass, Mitch Mitchell (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) on drums, and Brian Auger on organ.
The album also featured four Marley covers (Bend Down Low, Happiness, There You Are, Get Up, Stand Up) and a Veléz-Marley composing collaboration, Disco Night.
This did not include any songs from Hypnotized (due to cross-licensing issues) or from American Heartbeat (because the masters were missing at the time).
Veléz also worked in films with Julianne Moore (Safe), Halle Berry and Patrick Swayze (Father Hood), Dennis Hopper (Nails), and played a lead role in the (Sundance) winner Star Maps, directed by Miguel Arteta and produced by Mathew Greenfield.
Taj appeared as a series regular for two years on Parker Lewis Can't Lose.
Her brother is the percussionist Gerardo Velez, who has worked with Spyro Gyra, Patti LaBelle, Jimi Hendrix and Van Morrison.