The Sound Of Philadelphia...

Those of you who have followed my epic musical journey over the last three decades or more, both on the radio and live at countless club gigs, are well aware by now of my deep love and appreciation of music that is all things 'Philly'. My almost obsessive collection of label chief's Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff's productions, especially when released on that legendary green label, Philadelphia International, plus of course it's affiliate subsiduary label offshoots began for me back in late 1973 when, as a fledgeling young record collector, I first discovered by reading about it in Blues & Soul magazine, what was later to become internationally known the world over as TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia).

That amazing discovery led me to purchase my first ever Philly 7" single, 'Love Is The Message' featuring the Three Degrees by MFSB (aka Mother, Father, Sister, Brother) which was also the title of the first Philly LP I ever bought. That, plus a few other UK 7" singles released on the label around the same time by the O'Jays,  The Three Degrees, Billy Paul, The Intruders, Archie Bell & The Drells and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes basically changed my life by introducing me to a world and style of soul music which continues to influence not only myself, but all aspects of the modern dance music scene in some shape or form to this day.

I continued to slavishly follow the fortunes of my favourite soul and disco record label from the self proclaimed 'City of Brotherly Love' with it's huge rosta of ground breaking  artists through it's entire 70's and early 80's heyday, regardless of the many other music trends I was also into at the time. More often than not, Philly Int, with it's shed load of incredibly talented in-house writers and producers were during this period often at the cutting edge of emerging trends in black music anyway.

The recent sad and unexpected passing of one of my all time favourite male vocalists, who many consider THE voice of 'The Sound of Philadephia', namely Teddy Pendergrass, formerly lead vocalist with Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, has prompted me to do something I should have done a long time ago, namely to host a proper TSOP appreciation night right here in London. My two Motown 50 parties at the end of last year were a huge success and I reckon a similar 'Philly style' party night, especially in light of Teddy P's premature death, would be even MORE appealing to black music fans, who like me, know and love TSOP.

So I invite you to come and 'Dance your troubles away' to all of the above named artists as well as Philly legends Jean Carn, Pattie Labelle, Dexter Wansel, The Jones Girls, Phyllis Hyman, McFadden & Whitehead, The Trammps, Lou Rawls and many more besides. Just the mere thought of a night like this fills me with incredible excitement.

We at Good Times have decided to host this special one-off night on Friday 26th February at the William IV Pub, 786 Harrow Road, Kensal Green, London NW10. This will be my first London gig of the year and I can't think of a better way to celebrate my return to blighty after touring in both Australia and New Zealand. We also intend to donate a percentage of the ticket/door sales to the Haitian Earthquake Disaster Appeal Fund. So please check here or on my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter @normanjaymbe for regular updates about this incredibly special one-off night.

Good Times in Australia...
is the title of my brand new mixed double CD compilation which is scheduled for Australian domestic release on the 22nd January on Central Station Records, just a few days before my nationwide DJ promo tour commences. Given theﾠrelatively short period of time I've had to compile this new comp project, less than three weeks in fact, I'm well pleased with the fruits of my labour. I hope you will be too.

I initially submitted well over 50 titles for possible inclusion on any future Australian Good Times comp and to be perfectly honest, had reservations as to whether or not the guys over at Central Station (Universal AU) would be able to secure usage (in time) of some of the more obscure artists I requested. Artists like Lorez Alexandria or Inner Circle or even bigger commercial names such as rock icons, David Bowie or Tina Turner, but somehow they DID - and all within budget too. We did of course lose out on one or two tracks I desperately wanted to include but that was only to be expected. So the FULLEST respect to Jamie, Kamila, Archie, James @ Umusic (AU), Craig 'magic fingers' Dormer @ Red:Light, Dan and Roberta @ Dusted and of course, all the listed artists and everyone else involved who worked tirelessly to make this album project finally happen. Your efforts are very much appreciated.

Release date: 22nd Jan

(also available for worldwide export)

Track listing CD1 (mixed)

1. Jean Carn - Happy To Be With You

2. Tammy Payne - Take Me Now

3. Peggy Lee - Dock of the Bay

4. Brick - Living From The Mind

5. Jazzanova - Theme from "Belle et Fou"

6. Lorez Alexandria - Send In The Clowns

7. Jackie Wilson - The Who Who Song

8. Light of the World - More Of Myself

9. Sylvester - I Need You

10. Tina Turner - Backstabbers

11. David Bowie - Kooks

12. Chairmen of the Board - Men Are Getting Scarce

13. Donell Jones - U Know Whats Up

14. Michelle Williams - Never Be The Same

15. High Contrast - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

*************************************************************

CD2 (house mix)

1. Peven Everett - New Day

2. Inner Circle - Everything Is Great

3.ﾠ Donaeo - I

4. Danny Clark & Sean Benham feat: Dawn Tallman -
Conqueror

5. The Wizard Brian Coxx - Kiling Me

6. Gramophondzie feat: Peggy Lee - Get Out Of Here
(Why Don't You)

7. Joey Negro & The Sunburst Band - I'll Be There For
You

8. John Cutler feat: E-Man - It's Yours (Bart B More
mix)

9. The Revenge - Forever In Their Debt

10. EMKYU feat: D.D.B. - Gabrielle

11. Xantone Blacq feat: Alfred 'Pee Wee' Ellis - Drive
My Car

12. Esther Phillips - Our Day Will Come

Well that's it folks. How I wish this comp was coming out here in the UK. Still, itﾠWILL be available for worldwide export andﾠthe power of Amazon and other such online music outlets means that you can still get your sticky mits on a copy of my new comp anywhere in the world when it becomes available on the 22nd Jan - even if they do charge a premium for it.

Cieloﾠoff...
Around this time of the year in the depth of their frozen winter,ﾠI usually head over to America's east coastﾠto embark upon a short deejay tour based around Dr Martin Luther King Day which is commemorated annually on the 18th January - now a celebrated public holiday in the state of New Yorkﾠamongst other states. For the last four years, I've joined forces with the guys from NYC's Giant Step recordings to play a MLK tribute set at one of the city's top club venues, Cielo.

This would have been my fifth consecutive year of appearing at this legendaryﾠclub alongside such NY deejayingﾠluninaries as DJ Spinna and Nickodemus from Turntables on the Hudson. Sadly, due to the current security difficulties being experienced by travellers toﾠthe US at the moment, I've decided to postpone my trip for the time being as I really don't need the hassle or stress of trying to enter the country at this particular point in time, especially as I'll be leaving for the sunnier climes of Australia onlyﾠa few days later.

I hope to re-schedule my US trip for possibly May/June. So if any would be promoter on the east coast is interestedﾠin booking me, please get in touch with Dan at Dusted Artist Management dan@dustedworld.com

NYE @ Hearn St...
was by all accounts absolutely 'on fire' atmosphere wise but bloody freezing cold (for the first couple of hours at least). Certainly the coldest gig I've ever played at. We did however have several industrial blow heaters operating inside the venue prior to the doors opening, but were instructed at the very last minute to switch them off (for health & safety reasons) as the first punters began to arrive. Needless to say the cloakroom attendants weren't exactly being run off their feet at this stage LOL.

The venue though was a throw back to the to our early illegal warehouse parties back in the mid eighties which would have been fine during the summer months when we used to run them, but in the middle of winter? on perhaps the coldest night of the year? a questionable decision at best some might argue, but judging by the overall crowd response on the night, they didn't seem to care or give a monkeys how cold it was. As perhaps most of those attending had never before been to a warehouse style party, we felt we were fully justified in putting 
the event on regardless of the time of year. 

9pm - I was virtually alone and freezing cold on the cdj's playing a warm up selection of cool hip hop and jazz classics as the crowd began to drift in, slowly at first, then rapidly filling the place by 11.00. By then the venue AND the atmosphere had warmed up considerably with jackets and coats being discarded left, right and centre and by 11.45, the place was absolutely heaving and the atmosphere at fever pitch. I was dropping a party mix of disco, drum & bass and house with Whitney Houston's girlie anthem, 'Million Dollar Bill' very nearly lifting the roof of the place at one minute into 2010. Sensational scenes!

The 1,300 sell out crowd were really going for it at this
point. I then continued to hammer out my fave Good Times
d&b and house floorshakers of 2009 including my number one Notting Hill Carnival anthem, Gramaphonedzie amongst others. After over five hours on the one's and twos, it was time for our special guest deejays, Russ Jay and Melvo from the Loud Minority Collective to take charge of proceedings. And this they duly did, alternately dropping house bomb after house bomb to a delighted crowd going deliriously mad in front of them. Between them they kept the crowd on their toes til the very last tune around 5.30am where upon no one seemed to want to leave.

I have to say this was without doubt, the best NYE party I've done in years atmosphere wise. Everything about this one was 'right' as far as I was concerned, with the obvious exception 
being the cold. I was also particularly taken with the fact the crowd was much younger than we'd anticipated (which I thought was a good thing). It would appear that Good
Times
are not only reaching, but actively appealing to a much younger demographic, a new generation of would be clubbers which is essential if we are to survive as a musical entertainment entitiy in this new decade.

I'd just like to thank everyone who came down on the night and my commiserations to the scores of unlucky individuals who queued outside for ages in the cold but still couldn't get in. Sorry about that. My thanks also to Dan, Ben, Andy, Ivor and everyone who worked tirelessly to help stage this blinding event. After the resounding success of this party, we'll definitely be back later in the year in a similar type of venue situation, but only this time it will be MUCH warmer (we promise). All the best for 2010 folks!