- Coati Mundi
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This article is about the musician. For the mammal sometimes known as the coatimundi, see Coati.
Coati Mundi Birth name Andy Hernandez Born January 3, 1963 Origin New York City, New York, U.S. Occupations Musician
Record producerInstruments Vibraphone Years active 1970s–present Labels ZE Records Associated acts Kid Creole and the Coconuts
Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah BandCoati Mundi is the stage name of American musician Andy Hernandez, percussionist, notably playing the vibraphone, and member of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, then of Kid Creole and the Coconuts. He scored the Top 40 UK hit "Me No Pop I" in 1981, just before the release of Tropical Gangsters. He produced and arranged an album by "Don Armando Second Avenue Rhumba Band", which spurred the disco hit song "Deputy of Love".[1]
Contents
Early life
Hernandez is a first generation Puerto Rican who grew up in Spanish Harlem, New York City. As a young teenager, the first band he played and recorded with was called Eddie Hernandez & his Orchestra.
Career
Andy Hernandez has worked with assorted musical groups and artists including Ralfi Pagan, Joe Bataan, Vernon Reid, N'Dea Davenport, Nona Hendryx, Tito Puente, Manny Oquendo & Conjunto Libre, Hall & Oates and Machito.
He was known as Sugarcoated Andy while in Dr. Buzzard's band and played vibes, marimba and percussion for them. Credits Stony Browder, August Darnell and Cory Daye of Dr. Buzzard's band as major influences.
In 1979, he helped create along with Adriana Kaegi the "Kid Creole and The Coconuts" band. Andy was the musical director and arranger for the Coconuts band until his departure in 1989.
Hernandez is a self-taught musician. His main instrument is the vibraphone but he also plays piano, percussion, flute and is a music arranger and composer.
He once said in an interview, "I have never let the lack of talent stop me from doing anything". He cited an example of this regarding the "Gichy Dan and Beachwood 9" [2] record produced by Ron Rogers and August Darnell. He was being interviewed for the job of arranger-orchestrator by the Head of A&R at RCA records. Asked if he knew how to arrange for strings, he replied without hesitation, "Of course", and convinced them to give him the job. In actuality, he did not know a thing about string arrangements. Immediately after the interview, he bought a book on arranging for strings and woodshedded day and night. The result was a successful arrangement job; his work was complimented by the great violinist Harry Lookofsky who served as concertmaster on the date.
In 1983, he released a solo album titled Little Coati Mundi The Former 12 Year Old Genius. Mundi composed, produced and provided the lead vocals. It contained a version of Captain Beefheart's "Tropical Hot Dog Night" featuring salsa singer Rubén Blades. The album also featured former Kid Creole & The Coconut singer Lori Eastside.
Hernandez appeared as an actor in the film Who's That Girl starring Madonna and Griffin Dunne. He wrote and performed a song for the soundtrack album called: "El Coco Loco". Mundi has acted in several Spike Lee films, including Mo Better Blues, He Got Game and Girl 6. He can also be seen in the film We Own the Night.
He is credited as one of the music supervisors for the Miramax film 54 and as producer of several of the film's songs. Hernandez has composed music for various films, including Spike of Bensonhurst. He is also the composer and sound designer for a series of educational DVDs for children produced by Karyn Parsons (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air).
In December 2010 he released a new solo CD Coati Mundi Is Dancing For The Cabana Code In The Land Of Boo-Hoo (Rong Music).[3] The recording has garnished favorable reviews and praises by the New York Times,[4] Time Out magazine,[5] Village Voice[6] and others.
References
- ^ Coati Mundi credits at Allmusic
- ^ Gichy Dan RCA
- ^ http://rongmusic.net/artists/coati-mundi
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/arts/music/11play.html?_r=2
- ^ http://newyork.timeout.com/music-nightlife/clubs/47241/coati-mundi
- ^ http://www.villagevoice.com/2010-12-01/music/coati-mundi-back-in-the-fray/
External links
Categories:- Salsa musicians
- Living people
- ZE Records artists
- 1963 births
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