Norman Jay

Who is Norman Jay?

Norman Jay MBE is an innovative and pioneering British DJ. He first came to prominence playing unlicensed or 'warehouse' parties in the early 1980s, such as Shake 'n' Fingerpop. His diverse and deep musical knowledge and his refusal to be restricted to playing from any single genre distinguishes him from his peers. He is commonly attributed to coining the phrase 'rare groove'.

Born in Notting Hill, London, Jay established himself through the London pirate radio station Kiss FM, on which he presented shows alongside founders Gordon Mac and George Power. Kiss 100 was launched legally in September 1990 and Norman hosted the first of what became his legendary 'Musiquarium' shows. Shortly after he joined Gilles Peterson at his newly created and highly influential label Talkin' Loud.

After a long involvement with Kiss, Norman joined BBC London in April 1997, where his 'Giant 45' show gained a loyal following across the globe up until February 2008.

His Good Times Sound System, which he started with his brother Joey, is a major attraction to many music fans who attend the two day August bank holiday Notting Hill Carnival. Good Times now attracts an estimated 15,000 revellers a day during the carnival. Good Times has also extended into a series of compilation CDs.