Norman Jay

Born in Notting Hill, London, to a family of Caribbean origin, Norman Jay — born Norman Bernard Joseph — developed an early musical education rooted in ska, soul, jazz, disco and funk. Active since the 1970s, he first made his mark in sound systems alongside his brother Joey before launching Good Times, which became a lasting fixture of the Notting Hill Carnival from 1980. In the 1980s he also established himself on radio with Kiss FM, initially a pirate station that later became legal; his show The Original Rare Groove Show helped spread and name the rare groove scene in the UK. His approach links American soul, boogie, disco, house and acid jazz, focusing on groove, warm rhythms and the intersections between club culture, the dancefloor and black music heritage. He co-founded the label Talking Loud with Gilles Peterson in 1990 during the rise of acid jazz and hosted several radio slots, notably on BBC London and BBC Radio 2. His name is associated with compilations such as Good Times (2000), Giant 45 (2004), Skank & Boogie (2015) and Mister Good Times (2017). In 2002 Norman Jay was awarded an MBE for his services to music.