Matt Anderson
Feature: Matt Anderson
Matt has played pretty much everywhere and with pretty much everyone, His dj gigs have stacked up around the globe, He has now started his own night called Samba Raro. We tracked him down to se how it all started for him and what the future holds.
How did it all start – Even before the award?
Taking to the decks at the age of 11, I began learning my trade on a friend's mobile roadshow at weddings, parties and youth club discos. This was around 1985 and House Music was just starting to filter in from Chicago. At the time there were very few people who were into this sound so my opportunities to play House outside of my bedroom were very rare.

From the atmospheric sounds of early Chicago, the UK Acid House Movement developed and I was a regular at early illegal Raves and Warehouse Parties in East Anglia and London. I also started arranging my own parties with friends at various houses and the occasional field
When did you get your first real taste of the DJ life Style?
I started playing in clubs in 1990 and was resident at Tooto's (later the Jungle Club) and Oscars which were both in Essex. I was playing early hardcore which was still based around the spirit of rave and the drug induced sound of the late 80's.

In 1992 I broke into London and played regularly at venues such as Labyrinth (Dalston), Wonderland Arena (Hackney) and the Rocket (Holloway). The music I was playing was now faster with more emphasis on the break beat and the bass line. The actual tunes themselves were quite minimalist and were being produced by kids just like me, with minimal equipment and traditional musical ability
You seem to play a varied style of music along with Drum & Bass – How Come?
This was the sound of drum and bass and I was hooked! Between 93 and 97 I played at some of the top Drum and Bass nights around the Country including Desire (2000AD) events, PM Scientists, Logical Progression, Impact and Prophecy. I was also responsible for the first ever release on Certificate 18 records entitled 'Intuition' and had my own shows on various Pirates including Frequency FM in Northampton- 'The Intelligent Minds Show'.

Drum and Bass continued to develop and grow in musical standing and this led me to go back in time to understand and appreciate the music of those who had inspired the new breed. This broadened my musical horizons and encouraged me to break conventional musical barriers, playing Jazz, Soul and Funk from the 70's and 80's alongside the likes of Peshay and Roni Size.
Matt Anderson
What’s your current style of music that you like to play out?
Currently you can expect to hear me play music by Nu Jazz artists like Kaidi Taitham and 4 Hero as well as 70's Jazz-funk and future Drum and Bass. When people ask me what style of music I play, I really don't know how to answer. I guess at heart I'm still a Drum and Bass Kid and always will be, brought up on the latest dub plates that Fabio and Groove would drop each weekend but really there are only 2 kinds of music- good and bad. And if I think it's good then you will hear me play it. Simple as that………………….
What’s been the high points so far for you?
- Regular guest and spell as Resident at Plastic People (Oxford Street, London- now moved to Curtain Road)
- Regular visits to Iceland, guesting at various events in Rejkyavik.
- Guest at Movement (Bar Rhumba, London)
- Guest at PM Scientists (Jazz Bistro, Farringdon) .
- Regular guest at Metro and Galactic Sushi Events at various London Venues including Bar Rhumba and the Dogstar.
- Won Muzik's Bedroom Bedlam Competition, November 95.
- Guest at Move at the Ministry of Sound
- Guest at the Bomb (Nottingham).
- Regular Guest at Home (London) now closed.
- Played at the opening night of Pacha (London)
- Guest at the Cross (London)
- Guest at Bassheads (Reading)
Matt has provided us with an exclusive mix for Urban Futures. You can catch him otherwise at His new club night called Samba-Raro - Check out Samba-Raro.com for full details. The night concentrates on breaking new and innovative dance music as well as Jazz and Funk classics, also incorporating live instrumentation.
Play - Samba Style Samba Style
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