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Coati Mundi

Coati Mundi who was formerly with Kid Creole and Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band talks with Bernard Lopez of DiscoMusic.com for a quick Q & A and talks about his newest album Dancing For The Cabana Code In The Land Of Boo-Hoo and his artistic side.

Coati Mundi in a DiscoMusic.com. Q & A with Bernard F. Lopez

Coati Mundi will have his new album Dancing For The Cabana Code In The Land Of Boo-Hoo released any day now on Rong Music (RONGCD07). Read the full review of Dancing For The Cabana Code In The Land Of Boo-Hoo as it is meant to accompany the following Q & A where Coati Mundi was gracious enough to give us a glimpse into his artistic ways. Let's begin:

Q: Coati, what prompted you to embark on a new solo album after so long?

Coati Mundi...

A: To use a cliché I just went with the flow.... Which is the way I normally roll. ... Even though I always enjoyed the creative side I felt increasingly frustrated with the business side of music recording life especially in the USA so I decided to focus on other areas of the biz of show for example Acting - Composing - Music Supervision - Sound Designing and I even did a bit of choreography work.

Few years back via my good pal soul singer Jon E Edwards I met this British musician/producer person Elan Polushko aka E-Love. who was getting ready to marry Amber Edwards (Jon E's niece).

E-Love was a fan and wanted to get together and collaborate on some jammies for a "Coati Mundi" project.

That goes on a lot in this business where people who are practically strangers say let's get together and write. At first I I rolled my eyes but after getting to know E-Love I liked what he what he wanted to bring to the table. In addition I did have an urge to try something different so we hooked up. One thing led into another and all of sudden we were in a groove and sailing nicely. Next thing I knew we had enough tracks for a "solo" album. I put the word solo in quotes because in actuality it is just an album since I am no longer with a group. Sorry for being anal.

Q: I definitely noticed your defiance of boundaries on your new CD Dancing For The Cabana Code In The Land Of Boo-Hoo more so than in the past. Do you feel comfortable in this role? Are there risks in doing this from an artistic point?

Coati Mundi...

A: WOW... you are perceptive. I love this question.

"I'm The James Dean Of The Music Scene
I'm The George Raft Of The Leisure Class
They Call Me Eddie G* Cause I Do What I Please
They Call Me Lenny Bruce Cause I Tell The Truth"
- Lyrics from "Me No Pop I"

* Refers to Edward G. Robinson

Defiance was a big part of this project ... that main element that charged me up. And I felt very comfortable with it.

When E-Love expressed his desire to hook up with me I expressed to him yes as long as I make all final decisions in terms of creative direction.

Since we had no label or A&R person breathing down our neck telling us we had to sound like the latest "hot" Johnny Come Lately" I put forth that we create jammies with no stereotypical song/music/lyrical structure or themes. I may want to just do a chorus and no verses or sing about a dog or do African rhythms with disco grooves or Salsa with dance. I did not care if the song started off with the bridge first or if the verse was not heard til the end of the song.

He was enthusiastically supportive and so we had a great time acting "silly." E-Love is amazing with dance beats and is relentless when it comes to finding unique sounds. He is also a good musician and can keep that organic element in the mix and that is very important to me. I did not just want to press buttons willy-nilly and use the latest hip fabricated samples ... we had to seriously mix the sounds and beats into a blender and come out with a healthy musical smoothie.

Was it a risk? HELL YEAH! I told E-Love that the most important about this project is that we enjoy it because it may never be heard by anyone other than us and the wanna be gangster rap neighbors sharing our wall.

We did this project at our leisure as if it were a fun hobby. We would venture off and do our various other businesses and whenever we had a break in the action we would hook up and resume Dancing For The Cabana Code In The Land Of Boo-Hoo.

For me to do this project in a way I had to not care if it would ever see the light of as long as I was in the moment having fun. This was a lot like the attitude I had when I started this journey many years ago in Spanish Harlem.

Q: What's your favorite song from Dancing For The Cabana Code In The Land Of Boo-Hoo and why?

Coati Mundi...

A: WARNING - METAPHOR ALERT!
When a mom has seven kids it is difficult to say which is her favorite because so much blood - sweat and tears went into each one. For it is the same thing. Each song was a pain and a pleasure to create. Each one owned me in a significant way. Having said that let me do an "El Fin" to this proselytizing profundity.

Do Not Brown Your Nose. I love this jammie because it helps me come to peace with why I am not more successful. Not only music. EVERYBODY IN SHOW BUSINESS gives up a certain amount of ass. I tried to keep it to a minimum for better or worst but mainly worst. Somehow I am cool with keeping a serious "cap" on my ass kissing.

My good pal and ex-Kid Creole band mate Lori Eastside has this no nonsense attitude that also inspired the song.

Then again I love He Wants To Make Love To Himself. This was inspired by my present state of affairs. Since I am without a love interest the song has a lot of meaning for me sort of like that Amy Winehouse or is it Whinehouse ... anyway I love that she sings about not going to rehab while in real life according to public revelations she is dealing with "substance" abuse.

Now the I Love My Dog song is protesting. I feeling on that a bunch. You know what, this is a dangerous question ...let's move on.

Q: Coati Mundi, What are some of your current day influences music-wise?

Coati Mundi...

A: Mmmmm ... I know there are a lot great talents out there ... each generation always produces amazing fruits but unfortunately I have not been listening enough to be influenced by anyone in particular.

You know there are times when I hear some awesome modern grooves. I get inspired somewhat but then I do not know if I am being influenced by some mad scientist or by an apple loop. Also there are a bunch of cool tracks I enjoy but do not know the artist or title and I am not about to do that "Googie or Goggle" thing.

Don't get me wrong ... I do enjoy a bunch of today's artist ... just to name a few people like Paul Rodriguez ... no he's a skateboarder...let me see see.. oh yeah... Mary J Blige, Mocean Worker, Jay Z, Little Louie, Usher, Miley Cyrus (That's right I said it), Daddy Yankee, Q Tip, Roots, Mark Ronson , M&M (the artist and the candy), Joe Claussell, Bad Boy Bill, Lee Douglas, DJ Spun, Marilyn Manson, Joss Stone, Kanye East (his cousin), that Jennifer girl who won an Oscar, Shakira, Wyclef Jean, Spam Allstars, a lot of stuff from the third world and the weird looking cat with that "FU" song.

Q: Why have you moved to LA from NYC? Are you concentrating more on film and television?

Coati Mundi...

A: Rent too high in NYC. Got tired of sharing a closet with 10 roommates at 5K monthly rent for the privilege of going around the corner for a worn out pizza at 4 AM.

The only way I will return to live is if they bring back "Prohibition" that way I can make some serious "do re mi" as a bootlegger.

Q: Coati, would you ever consider resurrecting Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band and/or Kid Creole... Why or why not?

Coati Mundi...

A: Savannah Band is out of the question. Stony Browder Jr. (Band Leader and Composer) passed on.

As far as Kid Creole ... the band is still going and going like the bunny in that commercial. It never really went away. This whole time August Darnell aka Kid Creole who has been living in Europe has managed to keep the band viable with a predominantly European posse.

The last interaction I had with the band was in 1993 when myself and Adriana Kaegi aka "Mama Coconut" aka Dear Addy jammed with them in NYC. I am not averse to performing with them again if I was asked providing that the pay is decent and that I have a few rehearsals so I can seriously smack down the goodness.

Now in the past I have done a few all star concerts like at Lincoln Center and BAM where I served as Musical Director. For a few of these shows I would bring in Cory Daye and we would do some cool sounds including Savannah Band classics. You can see them on YouTube.

What I would like to do is partner up with Cory Daye again and do Savannah Band material as well as original material, American classics (you can see our rendition of Sunday Kind of Love on my web site and also some of the jams I did when I was with the Kid Creole band. If any agents/promoters out there are interested just hit me at my humble web site: "http://www.CoatiMundiWorld.Com"

Q: How does your Puerto Rican heritage influence your ideas and your work?

Coati Mundi...

A: My Boricua heritage is an influence but not necessarily on a conscious level. I mean my upbringing and Nuyorican culture is more of an influence. The Latin music element thing comes into play a lot because of my parents. Cause of them I grew up with the classic sounds of Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, Cachao, Arsenio Rodriguez, Chappotin, Joe Cuba, La Lupe, Mongo Santamaria, Ramito, Machito etc and that definitely filtered in.

Generally however I do not analyze why I do what I do or why I don't do what I don't do. It will start to confuse me but I don't know, maybe I should?

Q: Will you have other new releases coming out?

Coati Mundi...

A: Hey give me a break hombre. Dancing For The Cabana Code In The Land Of Boo-Hoo is the new release and hopefully coming out by late October.

(The following done in a Jamaican accent: )
I can add that "I & I" mon have enough material for four albums. Me wants to do a Jazz record, a Rap record, Heavy Rock record and a Mixcellaneous record.

Now will they ever come out? Probably not unless I hit dee "Lottery" or somebody out there in "Powers That Bee Land" wants to hook up an "hermano". One Love (At A Time)

OK gotta go the "Dog Whisperer" is coming on.

-- The End.



Below is some information provided by Coati Mundi which will give his admirers even more insight..

Coati Mundi Mini-Bio

Coati has served the film and music community in various capacities including actor, composer, consultant, music supervisor and sound designer. He has worked with an array of renowned artists including Carlos Alomar, Ruben Blades, Jocelyn Brown, Lisa Fischer, Deborah Gibson, Nona Hendryx, Chrissie Hynde, Wyclef Jean, Grace Jones, Machito, Madonna, Karyn Parsons, Tito Puente Vernon Reid, Sly & Robbie, "The Roots" and the "Olsen Twins".

Coati Mundi, the adopted stage name of "Sugarcoated Andy Hernandez", hails originally from Spanish Harlem. Back in the day when platform shoes, designer jeans and a white polyester suit with an open collar shirt reigned supreme there came along a band of rebellious upstarts who went against the proverbial grain. Their debut album went multi-platinum and they were nominated for a Grammy as "Best New Artist". They had a pioneering hit single titled "Cherchez Le Femme". The band was "Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band" and Coati was a founding members of this Zoot suited, Fedora wearing band of mulatto miscreants. He was also a founding member of the critically acclaimed Kid Creole & The Coconuts where he served as Co-Leader and Musical Director. He played percussion, danced, sang and composed. In fact his pioneering Spanglish rap song "Que Pasa/Me No Pop I", originally released as "Kid Creole & The Coconuts Presents Coati Mundi", was the first hit for the group garnishing them major international attention. Coati also worked on many of the Kid Creole off shoot projects including record producer for the #1 dance hit "Deputy of Love" by the "2nd Avenue Rhumba".
His zany energetic theatrical performances as Kid Creole's comic foil sidekick had been lauded by fans worldwide including Barry Manilow, Prince, Madonna, Denzel Washington, Spike Lee and the late Rick James, Lady Diana and Michael J. Jackson.

Coati has served as a Music Director for live and TV events such as the Desi Awards (hosted by Paul Rodriguez), Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing and BAM Presents The Latin Connection Concert which featured celebrated artists such as Nona Hendryx, Joe Bataan, Vernon Reid, Cory Daye and Carl Hancock Rux.

As far as acting the proverbial bug probably bit him early in life but it lay dormant until a chance meeting with producer-director the late John Nicolella. He wanted Coati for the film "Easy Money" starring Rodney Dangerfield as the "boyfriend" of Rodney's "daughter" played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. Due to scheduling conflicts Coati had to unfortunately turn it down but later on Nicolella once again approached him to do a role on a new TV series called "Miami Vice". This turned out to be Coati's first non-music appearance on TV or Film. On this maiden voyage as an actor he worked with a familiar face. It was that of a pre-moonlighting Bruce Willis who Coati met when Bruce was a bartender at a NYC club. Coati ended up doing three episodes and always a different character. He also started getting roles in films including "Who's That Girl" starring Madonna.

Basically Coati was learning on the job until an embarrassing moment occurred during his third stint on "Vice". He was asked to do a stage whisper for a scene. Not having any formal training he was befuddled as to what the term meant. The director discreetly had a young actor who was actually making his professional theatrical debut take Coati aside and show him how to do it. Shortly thereafter Coati began studying. Although the original motivation to study was triggered by the desire to avoid any future embarrassment Coati did develop a respect and fondness for the craft. By the way the aforementioned young actor turned out to be Benicio Del Toro.

Coati continues to passionately collect a mix of sombreros in servitude to the "business of show". Presently he is excited about his first solo record in twenty years titled "Dancing for The Cabana Code in The Land of Boo-Hoo". This mixed-genre dance gem is soon to be released in late 2010 on the Rong Music Label. A single from the record "No More Blues" was previously released and was chosen on The New York Times Top Song List.

COATI MUNDI SELECTED MUSIC CREDITS

"SPIKE OF BENSONHURST": Scored, arranged and composed original Italian and Latin music for film directed by Paul Morrissey.
"MIXED BLOOD": Scored original "Salsa " music for film directed by Paul Morrissey.
"PEREZ FAMILY": Arranged and orchestrated typical Cuban composition for film.
"54": Music Supervisor
Heroes TV Show: Choreographer and musician coordinator for the episode titled " Four Months Ago"
"Sweet Blackberry Presents" (HBO Family): Created the music & sound design for this animated series for children produced by Karyn Parsons (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air).
ABC After School Special: Scored "R&B" and "Rock & Roll" music.
Ricki Lake Show: Arranged and orchestrated the strings & horns for the theme song.
Charles Perez Talk Show: Created and arranged original music cues.
Desi Music Awards Show: Conducted orchestra, composed and arranged original music for syndicated TV special.
Licensed For Film: Music catalog has been licensed for various films including Girl Fight, Serving Sara, Gloria, Police Academy, Who's That Girl, Dangerous Games, Sebastian Cole and Famous.

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

Kid Creole & The Coconuts: Recorded 8 albums (Island, Warner Bros., Sony) Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band: Recorded 3 albums "54" (Film & OST): Soundtrack Producer "Who's That Girl"(OST): Performed & composed song:"El Coco Loco"
Coati Mundi Solo Recordings: "Me No Pop I" (Island) / "Former 12 Year Old Genius" (Virgin) / "No More Blues" EP (Rong)



Well, there you have it! Don't forget to read the review of Dancing For The Cabana Code In The Land Of Boo-Hoo which is Coati Mundi's new album on Rong Music.

Coati Mundi releases @ Amazon.com

Submitted by DiscoMusic.com (3705)