IMPORTANT MESSAGE…

It is with real sadness and profound regret that I am left with no alternative but to officially announce today that GOOD TIMES sound system are unable to participate in this year’s Notting Hill carnival festivities due to a myriad of extenuating circumstances, some of which were simply beyond our control. After endless meetings, countless late night brainstorming sessions and many sleepless nights, we concluded it just wasn’t possible for us this year to present a show worthy of your high expectations of us.

So after more than 3 decades of deejaying at the Notting Hill carnival (20 of those at our current location on the corner of West Row and Southern Row) entertaining generations of our fans, the realisation that we cannot be there on August 28th and 29th has been a particularly devastating one for us all to come to terms with. Saying that, on a more positive note, we feel that a one year sabbatical away from carnival and all that it entails will prove to be of real benefit to all concerned in the long run, giving us all a bit of time and space to evaluate what it really means to be part of the greatest street festival in Europe. A precedent has already been set with regard to established UK festivals taking a gap year with even the ‘mother’ of all UK festivals, GLASTONBURY officially announcing a one year break in 2012. Good Times will not be hosting an official after party either this year.

I must stress at this point that the world famous Notting Hill carnival NEEDS to be supported and needs your continued support. Although it remains the UK’s largest FREE cultural event, Notting Hill carnival continues to offer the visitor unrivalled cultural and musical experiences throughout the weekend which still NEEDS to be supported and needs your support. And even though our GOOD TIMES sound system is unable to be there this year, I implore you dedicated music and party loving fans to still come along on August bank holiday weekend and enjoy more than just the sight and sounds of the iconic red double decker bus.

All that remains to be said is that GOOD TIMES would like to sincerely thank you for over 30 unbelievable years of continuous partisan support, not only of our original sound system but of our music events and brand too.
Therefore we very much look forward to seeing you massed around West Row and Southern Row in 2012. So all is not as bad as it at first seems. We will be back!

Jay set up his first sound system, Great Tribulation, in 1979 with his brother Joey which became Good Times Sound System in 1981, the start of a 30-year residency at Notting Hill Carnival. Norman changed the face of the music played there, introducing a range of gritty, soulful styles to complement the predominantly reggae-based sound systems. The move paved the way for the open-minded Carnival we know today, with Good Times still at its core.

From Good Times, Jay’s career burgeoned. He became a key DJ during the ‘80s London rare groove scene, hosting a series of legendary clubs – Shake ‘N’ Fingerpop, High On Hope (inspired by New York’s Paradise Garage) and famed sessions at London’s Bass Clef (later the Blue Note), all of which built his reputation for open-minded soulful selections spanning soul, funk, disco, early house, reggae and hip hop. Through his club nights, he was one of the first to introduce legendary US DJs like Tony Humphries, Louie Vega and Blaze to the UK. Further success followed – he was one of the founders of London station Kiss FM and ran the seminal Talkin’ Loud label alongside Gilles Peterson at Phonogram.

Jay’s tireless work as a DJ has earned him many accolades – he has appeared on the BBC’s Question Time, and received an MBE for his work in 2002, the first time any DJ had received such an accolade.

In the wake of his many achievements and the ongoing success of Good Times, Jay has enjoyed a series of essential compilation albums on React, Resist, Nuphonic and Azuli stretching back to 2000, as well as a recent spin-off album, ‘Good Times Australia’. Now, the maestro returns with a special 30^th Anniversary collection for Strut, another bumper set of genre-hopping classic and rare Good Times favourites. Tracks include boogie rarity ‘Dreamin’ by short-lived band Zalmac and Fries & Bridges’ ‘Forever This’, a 4×4 belter featuring an early vocal by chart superstar Cee-Lo Green. Jay touches on independent hip hop with Basement Chemist, jazz grooves courtesy of Kira Neris and Attic Tree, skanking reggae from Jacob Miller and doo-wop soul courtesy of Little Anthony & The Imperials.

Norman Jay presents Good Times 30 is released on CD, LP and download. For the CD and LP formats, leading journalist and author Lloyd Bradley interviews Norman Jay for an extensive career-spanning sleeve note. The package also features rare and unseen photos from across Norman Jay’s career as a DJ.

1. MARK CAPANNI – I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES

2. AVERY SUNSHINE – I GOT SUNSHINE

3. TED TAYLOR – GHETTO DISCO (Edit)

4. ZALMAC – DREAMIN’

5. TERRI WELLS – WHO’S THAT STRANGER

6. LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS – I DON’T HAVE TIME TO WORRY

7. MARIO BIONDI – MY GIRL

8. JACOB MILLER & INNER CIRCLE – TIRED FE LICK WEED IN A BUSH

9. THE BASEMENT KHEMIST – EVERYBODY (L I F E)

10. J BOOGIE’S DUBTRONIC SCIENCE feat. GOAPELE and CAPITOL A – TRY ME (People Under The Stairs Remix)

11. ATTIC TREE – VOAR

12. CURTIS MAYFIELD – VICTORY

13. DANTE – FREAK IN ME

14. FRIES & BRIDGES – FOREVER THIS

15. THE DETROIT EXPERIMENT – THINK TWICE (Henrik Schwarz Remix)

16. ASHLEY SLATER – PRIVATE SUNSHINE

Label: Strut Catalogue No: STRUT080CD/LP
Formats (all unmixed): 2xCD / 2xLP/ digital
Release date: 19th July 2011

For your chance to win a FREE copy of Flip the Script, all you have to do is answer the following question…

In which year was DJ Norman Jay awarded an MBE?

Email answers to  info@flipthescriptbook.com with BOOK COMP in subject field.

The Exhibition : Flip the Script  A Photographers Music Diary, by Kingsley Davis & preface by Norman Jay MBE

Kingsley’s first self-published venture with preface by Norman Jay MBE is called ‘Flip the Script, a photographer’s music diary’.

A collection of images, quotes and thoughts from, amongst others: Roisin Murphy, Estelle, Omar, Jamiroquai, Soil & “Pimp” Sessions, De Tropix, N’Dea Davenport, Jonzi D, Erykah Badu, John Legend, Q-Tip, KRS-One, Taylor McFerrin, Afronaught, Kaidi Tatham, IG, Flying Lotus, Lil Louis, Guru’s Jazzmatazz, TY, Wiley, Bashy, Ms Dynamite, Norman & Joey Jay, Pharrell Williams and many more...very special limited book release of 500 copies available online from May 16 2011, register your interest at info@flipthescriptbook.com

Exhibition open from May 9 – May 28 2011

Address: Westminster Reference Library, 1st Floor, 35 St Martins Street, London WC2H 7HP

http://www.flipthescriptbook.com

The Flip the Script book is an unparalleled collection of photographs documenting some of the most talented artists from both sides of the Atlantic to have emerged over the past decade and further back.

The preface is by Norman Jay MBE with special images taken at the 2010 Notting Hill Carnival & Good Times 30th Anniversary. In the book are never-seen before images of Jamiroquai, Omar, Erykah Badu, Roisin Murphy, Brand New Heavies, John Legend, 4 Hero, Estelle…plus much more.

It features insights into the changing music scene and also discusses the preservation of the music we grew up with being manifested in new forms.

http://www.flipthescriptbook.com