Big Chill Classics

Mr Scruff

Big Chill Recordings

2006-09-18

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• (Reviewer)

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• (Member — 0 votes)

Since 1994 the Big Chill Festival has avoided the hyperactive buzz of Reading or Leeds, the vast chaos of Glastonbury and the noise of soulless dance music festivals to be a place of escapism that lets you truly unwind for a weekend. A stable diet of good vibes is the spirit, so who better so select his festival favourites than the man who has been on the line-up lists since its inception? Mr Scruff: step forward (and bring a cup of tea with you).

Anyone who has seen a Mr Scruff DJ set will know how adept he is at genre hopping and switching styles so that one minute you are vibrating along with a big fat bassline, and the next minute its salsa time. Well this classics CD invites you to hang up those dancing shoes and get comfy in a hammock, or another equally lounging position, to, well, chill! While there are some feet-moving moments, it is far more suited for listening to relfect on the Big Chill or life in general alone or with close friends. Big up your tent, or perhaps your living room if it is too cold for camping.

may it prove to be a warm reminder of summer in the cold months ahead

The first CD kicks off with relfective jazz piece “Metropolis IX” from Mike Westbrook, the final track from his classic album of 1971. There is a 12-minute spellbinding turn from The Ousmane Kouyate Band, “N’Nafanta”, and a Latin-tinged downbeat offering from Paul Hunter. Scruff finds space for old friend Treva Whateva’s atmospheric “Music’s Made of Memories” that has the feel of an early evening wander around the campsite to the setting sun. This CD also sees Scruff turn his attention to reggae and dub which is always sure to get you thinking of clear blue skies and not a care in the world. Classic ‘Back a Yard’ from The In Corwd,  Glen Brown’s “Father for the Living Dubwise” and Daweh Congo’s “Proverbs” prove to be inspired choices to capture that Sunday morning feel.

The second CD has an equally lounging feel, kicking off with D’Angelo’s cover of Roy Ayers’s “Everybody Loves the Sunshine” that is sure to relax even the most tense of bodies with its simple yet effective style. More sunny sounds come from late Motown legend Rick James and his “Getting it on (In the Sunshine)”. Mr Scruff certainly wants us to feel the love and moves into samba mode with Dom Salvador’s “Hei! Voce” and waltzer “Off and On” from Moacir Santos. The Brazilians sure know how to provide a soundtrack to the sun. Elsewhere obscure west coast outfit Odyssey weigh in with some soul and Fingathing show a more sensitive side to their usual rowdy double bass/turntable action with “You Fly Me”. This CD becomes more vocal-heavy towards the end, closing with a 10-minute deep jazz workout from Das Goldene Zeitalter with the hypnotic “A Vision”.

There is no doubt this collection will bring a wide and chilled smile to your face, however, at times Mr Scruff’s eclectic taste proves slightly uneven when switching between styles. I feel that perhaps a knowing nod to his more dancefloor friendly reputation would not have gone amiss to liven proceedings for a track or two but he has succeeded in capturing the spirit and ethos of the Big Chill. Scruff claims this collection sums up his vision for the festival — well, with my feet up and cocktail in hand, I for one enjoyed his choice of chilled sounds — may it prove to be a warm reminder of summer in the cold months ahead.