We hear from Hugh Mendez (UK), in the sixth of a series of QnAs with artists performing at Womad NZ this year.

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We hear from Hugh Mendez (UK), in the sixth of a series of QnAs with artists performing at Womad NZ this year.

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As a founder of London’s legendary Sofrito Tropical Warehouse parties, DJ Hugo Mendez sits at the forefront of Europe’s tropical funk dance scene. Through extensive global research, he has updated vintage African, Caribbean and Latin rhythms with contemporary club sounds.

What (or who) did you want to be when you were growing up?

When I was 8 my sole aim in life was to be a helicopter pilot, sadly that dream has fallen by the wayside...

Name three people – alive or dead – you’d invite to your ultimate dinner party & why?

Nina Simone for a touch of class, godfather of house Ron Hardy for his stories and to spin some tunes and the Polish travel writer and journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski. Ryszard Kapuscinski was a fascinating character - working in Asia and Africa in the 60s he witnessed and reported on the beginning of post-colonial independence firsthand - when he died in 2007 it turned out he'd also been spying for the communist government in Poland, all in all a good dinner guest likely to get the conversation going...

What are you reading at the moment?

I'm currently reading "Life on the Mississippi" , Mark Twain's memoirs of his time working on paddle steamers in the 1860s. It's a great insight into a forgotten way of life and mode of travel.

What’s currently playing on your iPod?

The new album from Afro-Venezuelan sensations Family Atlantica (coming out on Soundway Records in March) is on heavy rotation, as well as a steady diet of Studio One classics.

What do you hope audiences will take away from this work?

Hopefully people will get to hear music they may not have heard before and make some links between different cultures, all the while having a serious dance...

What else are you currently working on?

I'm working on a compilation of Haitian music from the 60s and 70s for Strut Records that should be coming out in June - it's been fascinating talking to the musicians and uncovering the stories behind the music. On a club tip We've got a lot of releases lined up on the Sofrito label, I'm also working on a live project with some Guadeloupan musicians in Paris.

What are you looking forward to most about coming to New Zealand?

I'm looking forward to the festival and the crowd, I'm hoping to stay on for a few days and explore some different spots too.

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Hugo Mendez performs at WOMAD NZ , Taranaki, March 15-17, 2013