Charity Fancy Dress Party anyone..?

Shake & Fingerpop fancy dress charity @ The Westbury Bar, Kilburn, London NW6

We've had loads of ticket enquiries already regarding this special event (see my live dates page for more info). It's on tonight (Saturday 30th) Fancy dress will be mandatory for this special event where the suggested theme for the evening will be 'My favorite toy' (but you can come as anything you like really provided you make an effort).

We appreciate that you might not be be able to get yourselves sorted in time for this event so soon after carnival, therefore we've relaxed the advance ticket situation so you CAN pay on the door if you so wish.

So we are looking forward to seeing loads of Action figures, Star Wars heroes, Buzz Light Years, My Little Pony's, Transformers, Simpsons, Daleks, Barby's, Brats and of course plastic ducks!! LOL!

Expect a full Notting Hill Carnival review to come soon - just still far too knackered to write it at the moment...

Afterparty now selling out VERY fast!!

With over 500 tickets now sold there will most definitely be a full house @ Neighbourhood for our official afterparty on Sunday 24th August. Capacity at the venue is a strict 650 so order your tickets NOW from http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/ 

Any remaining tickets will go on sale from our official ticket vendor who will be located BEHIND the bus (on West Row) from approximately 3.30pm onwards. Any remaining tickets will be offered on a first come, first served basis (subject to availability)

Also expect to receive more info regarding our forthcoming Shake & Fingerpop fancy dress charity bash the following weekend via my Facebook page. Fancy dress will be mandatory for this special event where the dress theme for the evening will be 'My favourite toy'. So I'm looking forward to seeing loads of Action figures, Star Wars heroes, Buzz Light Years, My Little Pony's, Transformers, Simpsons, Daleks, Barby's, Brats and of course plastic ducks!! LOL!

We're had loads of ticket enquires already regarding this special event (which is strictly a ticket only affair). A limited number of advance tickets are now available at £6 each + b/fee from: http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=282524

Good Times volunteers...

Hi everyone. As you can well imagine things are more than a little hectic behind the scenes at Good Times at the moment as we finalise our preparations in time for the coming weekend's festivities. I'm pleased to report that everything is on track with just one or two last minute carnival related meetings to attend plus a couple more important carnival licences to secure then we can all breathe a little easier in the final run up to Sunday's opening track.

In an unprecedented move, we at Good Times are looking to urgently recruit approximately a dozen or so strong, willing and able bodied people to help us offload (and reload) our Red Stripe beer stock for the weekend. This will be quite physically demanding work for about an hour or so both on Saturday afternoon (at a time to be specified) and again early on Sunday morning (at a time to be specified.) The loading will take place at the Good Times bus located in West Row W.10

I'm afraid we are not in a position to offer any financial renumeration for any services rendered but we CAN offer some FREE beer, FREE tickets to our afterparty @ Neighbourhood on Sunday night plus a personally signed copy of my new Good Times London compilation CD. If anyone can help us out (which will be very much appreciated), you might be pleased to know that even me, Norman Jay MBE will be out there alongside you helping out with the heavy loading (despite having a very dodgy back) Ouch!

I/we fully appreciate the last minute nature of this unusual request but if you are up for being involved or helping us out, then in the first instance please call Dan at Dusted Management on 0208 815 5550 or email him at dan@dustedworld.com to register your help with your contact details and he will then be able to give you more details about where, when and what time etc. I look forward to hearing from you (and meeting you too!)  

Good Times!

Time Out podcast...

A short while ago I was approached by popular London listings magazine Time Out to produce a special carnival podcast. You can listen/download it at:http://www.timeout.com/london/features/5425/Notting_Hill_Carnival_2008.html

Carnival countdown...

Only Six days to go now to the greatest weekender of the year and the excitement in our camp is palpable. Without a doubt, this is the busiest time of the year for yours truly and indeed everyone involved with Good Times. This will be our 28th consecutive appearance on the the streets of Notting Hill and we are as excited as ever to once again be in a position to offer you 'the party experience of your life!'

Expectation will be high (as it always is) on West Row this bank holiday weekend but you can rest assured we WON'T disappoint, WHATEVER the weather! I won't even go there with regards to the weather forcast for the coming weekend suffice to say that I will once again behaving a quiet word with 'my man upstairs'. All you lot have to do is...BE THERE!!

Afterparty selling out fast!

With well over 300 tickets sold so far, we fully expect yet another full house @ Neighbourhood for our official afterparty on Sunday 24th August. Capacity at the venue is set at a strict 650. All the 'early bird' tickets have now sold out. So order your tickets TODAY from http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/ Check my live dates page for ticket availability and gig details.
Also expect to receive more info regarding our afterparty and our forthcoming Shake & Fingerpop fancy dress charity bash the following weekend via my Facebook page...

Brixton warm-up...

Without doubt one of my best London club gigs of the year. My annual pre carnival warm-up happens this Saturday night @ Plan B in Brixton. If you want to sample what the atmosphere is going to be like at West Row this bank holiday weekend, you NEED to get your funky asses down south of the river for a right royal knees up! See my live dates page for details...

Will be updating this page daily until the weekend so don't miss out. Check you tomorrow...

Good Times London!

'The latest goodtimes compilation from Norman Jay MBE is yet another cracker' - Observer Music Monthly

'Buy it' - Future music

Click here to buy

 

Good Times: London tracklist.

CD1

1. Ella Fitzgerald - Get Ready

2. Robert Parker - Let's Go Baby (Where The Action Is)

3. Origin Unknown - Valley Of The Shadows

4. Dennis Brown - Some Like It Hot

5. Chubb Rock - The Organizer

6. SL2 - On A Ragga Tip

7. Steve Parks - Moving In The Right Direction

8. Ullanda McCullough - Bad Company

9. Gloria Jones - Windstorm

10. The Whispers - A Mother For My Children

11. High Inergy - Lovin' Fever

12. Maynard Ferguson - Invitation

The carnival countdown...

has already begun - 18 days and counting! So make sure you order your advance tickets for our official afterparty @ Neighbourhood on the night of Sunday 24th August and also for our forthcoming Shake & Fingerpop carnival reunion charity ball the following weekend on Saturday 30th August @ The Westbury in Kilburn, NW London..Today! See live dates for more details of both events...

Big Chill review 2008...

Well I'm just about recovering from perhaps my greatest ever Big Chill deejaying experience to date. I can't recall a reception or response quite like that in all the years I've played there. As you can see from the photos below, the size of the crowd was absolutely mind blowing - surpassing even last years record attendance during my set. I hope I am able in some way to convey a sense of what yesterday was like. It appeared to be all over in the blink of an eye because the day was so momentous and overwhelming. I think the photos tell a better story than I do though but read on...

Only minutes before I was due to start my 12.45 lunchtime set yesterday (sunday) the weather looked ominous with huge dark clouds hovering low overhead threatening to empty its entire contents over the rapidly filling festival area below. "Bloody rain. Damn! that's all I need now." I thought. But I wasn't about to let a little rain spoil something I'd eagerly looked forward to all year. I could hear the crowd out front chanting my name expectantly. There was to be no turning back now. Death or Glory!

My 100% festival record of always bringing the sunshine with me whenever I played at BC was litteraly only minutes away from being totally washed away when, right on cue, as I strolled onto and across the cavernous main stage, tiny rays of sunlight began to pierce the massive brooding clouds hanging threateningly above. Well you couldn't make it up. Saved! It was a totally unbelievable moment which was quite surreal and really did blow my mind. That magical moment wasn't lost on the punters either...

To thunderous cheers of delight from the huge assembled crowd (estimated in excess of 25,000 people), I played my opening track, a cool as f**k reggae steppers version of the 'Theme From Pink Panther' BOOM! Well it all kicked off then and the party REALLY began as the assembled masses began to shimmy, jump and dance for as far as the eye could see in the emerging sunshine. God, somebody up there truly loves me! Fantastic scenes!

The crowd were absolutely brilliant too - totally responsive to EVERYTHING I played. The hordes of lovely girls all over the place and the infamous birthday 'tennis crew' holding aloft dozens of bright red balloons in the afternoon sunshine looked utterly fantastic from my vantage point as you can plainly see. The Chill crowd are NOT renowned for dancing (as BC isn't a dance festival as such - more of a leisurely, ambient pursuit of musical excellence I'd say,) but by the time Sunday lunchtime comes around - you simply wouldn't believe your eyes if you ever got to stand next to me on stage. Wild!

The sound, the lighting and the visuals on the main stage were absolutely incredible as always. That stage is MASSIVE. Its the loneliest place in the world and can be quite scary and intimidating if you are up there on your ownsome deejaying as I was. Its so very different if you're up there with a band or other because there are obviously more of you on stage to fill the cavernous space.

I know it is sometimes considered impolite, and in certain instances, quite rude to turn your back on your crowd but in this case it couldn't be helped as my cd bag was placed behind me. Slightly off topic for a minute - quite a few punters inquired, and indeed complimented me on my choice of tee shirt for the occasion. It is the national flag of native Australians - namely the Aboriginal flag - which was designed in 1971 by Harold Thomas, an Aboriginal artist descended from the Luritja of Central Australia. I don't quite know why but wearing it just felt right and appropriate for the occasion.

I maybe stretching things a little here but its been suggested that maybe one of the reasons why the sun came out and shone (against all the odds it has to said) throughout my entire set was because I wore my 'spiritual' Aboriginal tee shirt. Hmmm, just a thought....

Just like to thank Katrina Larkin, Pete Lawrence and the entire Big Chill team for all their hard work and yet another magnificent weekend as always up in the beautiful Shropshire countryside even though I was only there for the Sunday. These pictures simply don't do the event justice. You really had to BE THERE to savour the brilliant atmosphere created by the music, the many terrific live acts on offer on various stages (and in tents,) the many great deejays, the unexpected sunshine and of course those loveable BC punters.

For my entire 90 minute set, I musically ran amok with the vast crowd jumping up and down in front of me, peppering my set with loads of tracks from my new Good Times: London CD which went down a treat.

I couldn't believe my deejaying luck. Less than 12 hours before I'd had it 'off' in a major way down at an outrageously firing house night at the newly revamped East Village club in London for the Prologue boys. The capacity crowd down in the basement of said club were MORE than up for a party I can tell you - raising the roof, cheering and dancing their socks off. Bless 'em. Bwoy! did they rock da joint or what? Incredible party atmosphere down there which even took me a little by surprise at the sheer intensity of it all. I should have known that a banging night at East Village would set me up perfectly for what was to come later that day at the Chill...

They listened, then danced like loons to tracks as eclectic as Jimi Hendrix's seminal 'Wind Cries Mary' which sounded absolutely stunning on that main stage system (my personal pic of the day) to the outrageously driving remix of legendary French house producer and deejay Laurent Garnier's epic 'Man With The Red Face' complete with those insane horns which absolutely 'killed it' at the end of my set as you plainly can see.

Yup, this will definitely go down as one THE all time great gigs of my career. It really was something special - the perfect dress rehearsal for the forthcoming Notting Hill Carnival. You simply HAD to be there to experience it.

Yup, seeing really IS believing! The view from the MAIN STAGE @ Big Chill 2008...

As you can see there were of thousands upon thousands of great people here including loads of families - some with very young kids - camping out here all weekend and all enjoying a great festival vibe - despite the dodgy english summer weather. Here are just two of the many young 'chiller' friends I made that day... Brilliant!

Overall my personal thoughts on this year's BC event was that it's a festival that's obviously going through some sort of transitional phase in many respects (given the fact that former partner Pete L is sadly longer a main player at the event), but I also think it still retains it's original core ethos and THAT's what's most important. Even though I was only there for one day (Sunday), I saw and experienced enough to convince me that The Big Chill is still the BEST family oriented festival in the country bar none and long may it continue. Roll on next year!

Big Chill weekend innit?

You know thinking about this forthcoming event recently, it ocured to me that in all the years I have been blessed to play at BC, I have never spent an entire weekend there (and it's not for the want of trying either.) It's just that at this particular time of year my crazy deejaying schedule simply prevents me from doing so. I know loads of you will be making the annual pilgrimage up to Eastnor either today or tomorrow so have a safe trip. I look forward to seeing you all assembly on Sunday afternoon for 'church' hehe.

Prologue...

This tidy little house music monthly has been quietly bubbling away over in Shoreditch for a while now and doing very nicely it is too. I'm gonna be down there as a special guest this coming Saturday night and I'm really looking forward to it as the venue where it's held was formerly known as the Medicine Bar, located over on London's Great Eastern St.

This popular Old Street venue, now aptly re-named East Village, is under new ownership and management these days. At the helm are the former owners of the much missed west London hang out, The Lodge Bar in Harlesden led by stalwart Faith resident deejay Stuart Patterson and his partner in crime, Matt. I spent many a sweaty and enjoyable Friday night down in the basement of the former Medicine Bar back in the day so can't wait to see and hear what the new and improved sound system and club looks like now.

It goes without saying that I consider these two weekend gigs to be very important warm up gigs (no disrespect intended to either) in the run up to what is for me at least, the MAIN event of the year, namely the Notting Hill Carnival. I can feel it in these old 'heritage' bones that these two gigs will be absolutely firing! Bring on the weekend I say!

Neighbourhood afterparty...

advance tickets are available right NOW from the usual ticket agents including http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/ priced at £10 each plus b/fee (the same as last year). When this limited number of reduced price 'early bird' saver tickets sell out, tickets will then be priced at £12 each plus b/fee and £15 each on the door on the night(depending on availability.) We've put them on sale a little earlier this year so don't miss out. Regular visitors to this site need no reminding just how quickly this massively popular official afterparty sells out - so spread the word out there and bring it on! See live dates page for details.

Live on radio today!

Being interviewed live on the Robert Elms show on BBC London 94.9 at approx 2.35pm today. We'll be chatting about the forthcoming Big Chill weekend and of course the imminent release of my latest comp; Good Times: London. Catch it if you can!

Time Out Hero...

Esteemed London listings bible Time Out magazine celebrate their 40th Anniversary this September and to mark the occassion they are producing a special souvenir cover (which will also be reproduced in their sister magazines worldwide) featuring the forty most influential and celebrated Londoners across the world of art, film, theatre, food, music and nightclubs etc - indeed all the regular areas featured in the magazine. I'd heard through the media vine that this was happening and was pretty shocked (and flattered) to get a call last week informing me that I was to be included in their special '40 Heroes' cover shoot. Wow! I've since discovered that I'm to be photographed alongside some very eminent London 'faces' over the last forty years and am suitably pleased as punch to be included. What a fantastic honour. Look out for it when it appears.

Pacha, Ibiza

Anyone who has ever been to Pacha knows just what an incredibly special club it is. It's one thing to go there as a punter but another thing entirely to deejay in its opulently cavernous main room. Even to the most experienced of deejays, it can still be a fairly intimidating room to play. As I'd mentioned on my live dates page Frankie Knuckles had to unfortunately cancel due to ill health. His last minute replacement (from the same influential Def-Mix management camp) was the hugely impressive Hector Romero who came on after me and completely smashed it. Respect sir!

My set began a little cautiously at around 2am (peak time) where by now the main room was packed and expectant. There were quite a few people there who thought I was Frankie Knuckles!! I know this as I was getting more than a few inquisitve stares from some of the puters peering into the deejay booth. This was again confirmed after I'd finished my set when I was called 'Frankie' on more than one occassion to pose for the now obligatory mobile phone photographs. It has to be pointed out though that the confused clubbers in question were of Bulgarian and Agentinian origin so they are excused! hehe They were among several thousand happy punters from all over world who are testament to Pacha Ibiza's huge internationasl appeal.

Still, that didn't bother me none as there was a sizeable UK crowd in the house who again showed their much appreciated support on the dancefloor during my deep and energised 2 hour house set. Yes, even after an absence of more than five years or so from the Pacha decks - it's STILL an incredible room to play. Their sound system is absolutely perfect. I loved it! Thanks to everyone who came.

My Favourite Toy...

Just giving you a heads up on my forhtcoming Shake & Fingerpop charidee fancy dress doo over at the Westbury in Kilburn at the end of August (see live dates). Dress theme will be My Favourite Toy. So looking forward to seeing some truly ridiculous and spectacular creations on the night hehe. MINE will be unbelievable trusss!!! Look out for advance ticket details on here soon...

Ibiza next...

Heading off to the 'White Isle' in a couple days time for what will probably be my only appearance in Ibiza this summer. I haven't played the main room in Pacha in some years and am eagerly anticipating my return, especially as I will be playing alongside one of my all time favourite deejays and indeed long time personal friend, the legendary Frankie Knuckles...

Although the UK weather hasn't been much kop of late, with the possible exception of Wakestock over in Abersoch, west Wales recently (where it was absolutely freezing), I've somehow managed to maintain my unique record for attracting the the sunshine wherever I've played this summer. The Garden Festival over in Zadar in on the Adriatic coast of Croatia was no exception and a complete revelation. Oh what a couple of glorious days I had there. The weather was fabulous, a scorching 31 degrees and the crowd were briliant.

Saw many faces from home out here I didn't expect to see in this most idyllic of settings and all were lapping up the wonderfully chilled atmosphere which pervaded the whole site all weekend. Had an absolute blinder of a time playing the closing set of the festival on the Sunday night. But my personal highlight of the weekend though was the following Monday night where I unexpectedly deejaying onboard one of the many boat parties that took place over the weekend. The crowd on my boat were were bang up for a party and were absolutely 'roaring' by the time we finally docked some four hours after we set sail. I think I'm fast becoming accustomed to playing on the water once again as this was my second enjoyable deejaying experience on a boat in the last month.

Motown madness...

It goes without saying that this night would be a highlight of the year for me - and indeed it was! I was completely in my element, rinsing choon after choon to an enthusiastic 'museum type' crowd who were wildly dancing their socks off to classic after classic on the neatly trimmed lawns of the quadrangle inside the V&A. You couldn't make it up.

Great gigs are (fortunately) flowing thick and fast for me at the moment. Just got back from a corking old skool soul and funk night in Malmo, Sweden over the weekend. a fantasic Saturday night. For me a real throw back to the halcyon days of London's much lauded rare groove and acid jazz scenes. With well over a thousand people packed inside the purpose built venue, it really was a musical night to savour.

Nokia Skate party...

over on the South Bank last Sunday afternoon was also a gig to remember. I sooo looked forward to this one. Once again all my great roller skating memories came flooding back as I rinsed skate classic after skate classic in the London sunshine. After I'd finished my set, I couldn't resist the urge to put on some skates and get on there! There I was, happily rolling round the rink like a shakey old pro being doubly careful not to fall flat on my a*** (and thankfully I didn't). It was only the second time in twenty five years since I'd got back on wheels and according to a few close friends who bore witness to it, I'd lost none of my 'skills' hehe. Wicked day!