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"A Raleigh Chopper fanatic, sound
system supremo, founder member of Kiss FM, former Talkin
Loud guru, all round celebrity and man of the people...
What more do you want?"
That was the paragraph that headed yet another great
piece in a recent edition of Muzik Magazine acknowledging
the influence and Djing accomplishments of the legendary
Norman Jay.
Getting Monkey Mafia on stage as a live outfit took
time but it proved to be well worth the wait. They emerged
in 1998 as one of the hottest live acts on the circuit,
a point reinforced by their selection as support for
Roni Size and Reprazent's tour (straight after their
Mercury prize win) and, in 1998, Massive Attack on their
"Mezzanine" tour.
1998 also saw the release of the Monkey Mafia album
"Shoot The Boss", a powerhouse debut which
was a mixing album of the month and universally critically
acclaimed. Ranging from the almost Symphonic disquiet
of "The Whore of Babylon" through to the achingly Beautiful
soul of "As long as I see the light", The album was
a triumphant musical Tour De Force.
A self confessed "Beetle" baby born in London
of West Indian parents, the young Jay had nurtured latent
Djing ambitions even from the tender age of 8 years
old. By then, encouraged by a very musical family background,
he had bought his first record and played at his first
gig, a 10th Birthday party of one of his cousins. As
young as he was, the music scene, especially the powerful
and exciting R&B coming out of late 60's Black America
by the likes of Aretha Franklin and James Brown, was
to have a profound effect and cemented his love of all
kinds of black music forever.
By the late seventies, Jay had become an avid collector
of American black music collecting the likes of Motown,
Stax, Atlantic and Jazz, including his passion, "The
sound of Philadelphia." He had experienced the
rise of the Disco phenomenon first time around, and
at first hand having visited his American aunts and
uncles for the first time (one of whom was an accomplished
Brooklyn DJ himself) in New York, staying for several
months visiting all the clubs that mattered, including
the legendary Paradise Garage, forging lasting friendships
with the likes of the late Larry Levan, Tee Scott and
latterly David Morales, Tony Humphries and Louis Vega
years before any of them were heard of in the UK.
It was around this time, inspired by that New York
trip, that Jay decided to take his Djing more seriously.
He then teamed up with his brother Joey and built the
legendary Good Times sound system, playing out at the
famous Notting Hill Carnival to much acclaim. By now
his reputation was beginning to grow, he had amassed
a huge following, attracting crowds of up to 2,000 people
wherever he played. This led to an invitation from his
long time DJ friend Gordon Mac to start up their own
pirate radio station called Kiss FM. Because of his
influence and the respect he was afforded from fellow
DJs he became the catalyst for attracting the likes
of Jonathan More and Matt Black (Coldcut), Jazzie B
(Soul II Soul), Radio 1's Danny Rampling and Trevor
Nelson, Talking Loud's Giles Peterson, Lisa I'Anson
(none of whom had much radio experience, being recruited
by Jay Long before any of them had become household
names) and many other famous DJ names to the station
including his original partner and protege, the ubiquitous
Judge Jules.
It was this DJ partnership that led directly to the
emergence of the now famous "Rare Groove"
scene. A term coined by Jay after his now legendary
"Original Rare Groove Show" on Kiss FM. Affectionately
known as the "Godfather", his shake and Fingerpop
outfit were the leading purveyors of this scene playing
all types of old hard to find and popular new music,
including the earliest house records, and were responsible
for the very first warehouse parties ever stage in London,
preceding the Acid House explosion by some three years.
The nineties had dawned and now it was time to move
on. He hosted the very first legal broadcast on Kiss
FM, when they won their license, started the very first
Garage style club in the UK called High on Hope bringing
over the likes of Tony Humphries, Marshall Jefferson,
Blaze, Ten City and Adeva for the first time ever to
the UK and was responsible for reviving interest in
the old skool disco divas, such as Jocelyn Brown, Chaka
Khan, Loleatt Holloway, Sharon Redd and the late Gwen
Guthrie, all of whom appeared frequently at his club.
By now Jay had become a much respected household name
on the UK dance scene. He was head hunted by Polygram
to start a new label called Talkin' Loud with Giles
Peterson, Galliano and Incognito. After three successful
years there, he left to pursue his increasing DJ commitments
around the world, annually touring places such as Australia,
USA, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and Europe,
playing a wide range of dance and black music to ecstatic
audiences everywhere. He has played in just about every
major city in Europe being one of the first major club
DJ's ever to do so.
He is also the doyen of the "stars". Their
favourite DJ, playing for the likes of Mick Jagger at
his fiftieth birthday party, Michael Caine, George Michael,
Paul Weller (who is often quoted as saying Jay is his
favourite DJ), Lenny Henry (who reputedly modelled his
pirate radio DJ character on Jay) Vivienne Westwood
and Gaultier and many big showbiz fashion parties during
London fashion week and is often booked to play at big
film premiers, including 101 Dalmatians, Judge Dredd
and Enemy Of The State. He also DJ'd at the launch parties
for the new Sky Digital TV Network at Battersea Power
Station, Tommy Hilfiger, Elite Models 10th Anniversary
and the Brit Awards after party.
With the rise of UK dance culture, Jay has again found
his niche, being extremely popular with a new generation
of dance fans up and down the country whether it's playing
house and garage, drum and bass or plain old skool jazzfunk
or hip-hop. He has still managed to maintain his musical
roots whilst being right up there with the best of today's
musical roots whilst being right up there with the best
of today's most popular DJ's. Often cited as a major
influence on a host of today's top names in the world
of DJ's and producers, from Farley and Heller to Judge
Jules and Seb Fontaine, he truly is "The DJs DJ".
Bands including Jamiroquai, Brand New Heavies and The
Young Disciples have all cited Jay as a major influence
often inviting him to play at their live gigs.
Featured in Mixmag's top 100 Dj's in the world and
one of the Face magazine's most influential club culture
figures of the decade, amongst numerous other accolades
attributed to him, Jay's contribution to the music scene
is second to none. Featuring regularly on television,
radio and magazine programmes about black music or dance
culture, Norman Jay, a recognised authority on club
culture, is considered by many to be "The People's
DJ" because of the width and breadth of his Djing
style. "A clubland institution" the Face once
called him.
Apart from a very hectic DJ schedule playing house
and funky gigs worldwide, he was again voted club DJ
of the year 96/97 by Blues and Soul magazine and is
the only DJ featured in the Face magazine's book on
club culture extracts from 1980-1997 called "Nightfever".
He has also just released yet another eagerly awaited
"Good Times" double CD album this time for
Nuphonic records celebrating 20 years at the Nottinghill
Carnival. This complements his already hugely successful
Miss Moneypenny's Mix CD and cult Philadelphia compilations
and Journeys by DJ CDs.
At present he is producing new material for his own
imprint, Good Times, and has also resumed a highly successful
broadcasting career on London's GLR radio 94.9 with
a hugely popular black/dance music show called Giant
45 (Sundays 7pm 10 pm).
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