Norman Jay MBE is one of those rare people who have one foot in the future. When you have caught up with him, he has already gone.
“Mister Good Times” is the story of how Norman Jay has lived at the cutting edge of culture for five decades, through two constants: love and passion.
Let me be clear from the off. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is structured with an almost musical flow and is beautifully written. In his life as a deejay, Jay has developed an innate sense of the rise and fall of an audience mood, which he can match with a carefully selected groove. I would suggest that Norman’s prose bears similar hallmarks of control. It is simply wonderful and so easy to read.
But it is the historical and cultural importance of this book that cannot be understated, as detailed by a truly remarkable person.
If you ever find that you doubt yourself or are struggling to start a project, read this book. Mr Jay’s fierce independence and fearlessness shine through the enthusiasm of his words. As a young black man in the ‘60s and ’70s, the author, experiencing a lack of opportunity, decided to make his own. Norman Jay, MBE, is a testament to what anybody can achieve if their mind remains firm. He is a hero to so, so many.
A triad of constant threads weaves through the book. These are; carnival, family, and an unquenchable thirst for music. Through this triumvirate, Jay skilfully makes transparent a beautifully heritage. “Mister Good Times” is a remarkable celebration of that heritage.
I read the book with a computer open next to me. I looked up the street names, the artists and the songs. I will never fully understand the heritage that Mr Jay so warmly shares, but I am inspired to learn more and build a more rounded appreciation.
I have so much gratitude towards Mister Norman “Good Times” Jay. I like to think that his sound system, the eponymous “Good Times” has transcended the playing of music, however important that is. “Good Times” are what we can all have when we embrace all of the magnificent heritage within the UK. We can learn about one another and celebrate our differences. That way lies the rare groove of “Good Times.”
Please do read this book. I include a link to the hardback version here.
To find out more about the author, head to his website, here.
Or for more great content – head to the Norman Jay MBE YouTube Channel.