The Kid is still swinging!
tehuti | Fullerton, CA United States | 02/07/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having been a fan of August Darnell since the Savannah Band was all the rage, I'm pretty biased. I love Kid Creole and the Cocoanuts! The first time I saw them was on SNL in either 1980 or 1981 and I've been sold ever since. The Kid is one of the hardest working men in show biz(to borrow from the immortal James Brown). It's a shame he isn't as revered here at home as he is in Europe and elsewhere around the world.All that being said, I was pleasantly surprised to finally get my hands on a new (US) release. Too Cool to Conga is not necessarily the Kid's best, but it shows that he still "has it" and more importantly, he hasn't sold out but stuck with the "Calypso-Cab Calloway-from-The Bronx persona. Why wasn't this guy the biggest seller during the brief swing dance revival of a few years ago? The title track is great. With the wacky lyrics that add to the bizarre history of the Haitian Hero. My only regret is that Coati Mundi is no longer part of the band. If you like what you hear on this disc, make it a point to go back and listen to hios earlier work, especially "Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places". You may also want to check out Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band."
FANCY FOOTWORK FROM THE KID
Glenn Morris | Sydney, NSW Australia | 01/22/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm a long-time fan of Kid Creole dating back to his Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places & Tropical Gangsters albums of the early 80s. To my disappointment his albums stopped getting released here in Australia after the You Shoulda Told Me You Were ... release in 1991. So on my recent holiday in Honolulu I came across his new Too Cool To Conga CD in Tower Records and thought I'd check it out. It's a fun hip album and showcases the entertainment value of Kid Creole. The emphasis is on R & B, Swing and Rock & Roll music styles with tracks such as Let's Jam, Flip Flop & Fly and Stingy Brim but there are still the catchy pop tunes for which he is renowned like the title track Too Cool To Conga (I couldn't get this infectious rhyme out of my head for days!) Also worth mentioning is the band's updating of the classic Endicott, with a jazzy high energy feel. The mix is fine and there is no emphasis of bass. Kid Creole may be Too Cool To Conga but he still has plenty of fancy footwork on this wonderful, feel good CD."
Catchy or Kitschy ???
Armando M. Mesa | Chandler, AZ | 07/01/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Some have taken The Kid's music to heart while others have scoffed at the artist as a novelty retro act. Well, for the record,Kid Creole and The Coconuts are honest to goodness real talented hip and swingin' artists that go way beyond as being seen as a Las Vegas lounge show act. What I admire is their longevity in a music market that just seems to put out or support questionable or talent-challenged artists...This collection of tracks is strongly reminiscent of the big band swinging era of the 1940's and early 50's. Creole's vocals are in top form and give no clue that 20 years have passed since their debut back in the early 80's ! Too Cool To Conga is too cool to keep quiet about..."
