Review

Norman Jay MBE presents Good Times 30th Anniversay Edition (Strut)

National treasure Norman brings us all another Good Times No. 30 in fact! Plenty of disco and soul from his crate digging vaults which is right up my street and hopefully yours too.

Mark Capanni's version of 'I Believe in Miracles' sets the laid back loveliness off good and proper and 'Ghetto Disco' by Ted Taylor is a sheer classic just listen to the classic bassline and intro, a rare treat new to me. One that typifies Jay's pure taste when it comes to the art of compiling. Zalmac's 'Dreaming' carries on the old school party majestically too.

Nice to hear some vibes, Orphy Robinson style on Terri Wells 'Who's That Stranger' a dinner disco delight! Reggae gets a name check too with Jacob Miller & Inner Circles' gloriously entitlted 'Tired Fe Lick Weed In A Bush,' a lovers rock eulogy to this most special plant. The mood gets jiggy with The Basement Khemist cut that glides along with some precise and conscious rapping sitting on top of this hip hop hottie which goes nicely into J Boogie's 'Dubtronic Science' another rap rhapsody.

A little brasilian boldness creeps in to with the driving 'Voar' by Attic Tree lovely slice of bahia with a fantastic breakbeat bossa type beat glueing it all together gracefully. Next up 'Victory' by Curtis Mayfield entrenched in his disco era post blaxploitation era a midtempo four to the floor rarity again driven by some exquisite disco bass,strings and horns. Norman then bungs in two disco house tracks that don't do it for me (but they might for you!) and tops off this sterling collection with Ashley Slater's trippy, glitchy waltzy ballad 'Private Sunshine' a weird yet wonderful
closing song. Norman has balls with that one but that's what makes him so very special and dear to our hearts. Storming Norman strikes lucky again!
Words Emrys Baird