Xavier Cugat (January 1, 1900 - October 27, 1990) was a Spanish-Cuban bandl… Read Full Bio ↴Xavier Cugat (January 1, 1900 - October 27, 1990) was a Spanish-Cuban bandleader whom many consider to have had more to do with the infusion of Latin music into United States popular music than any other musician. Perez Prado followed in Cugat's footsteps.
Cugat was born Francisco de Asis Javier Cugat Mingall de Bru y Deulofeo in Girona, Spain. His family immigrated to Cuba when he was five. He trained as a classical violinist and played with the Orchestra of the Teatro Nacional in Havana.
Sometime between 1915 and 1918, Cugat moved to New York, where he played with a band called "The Gigolos" during the tango craze. Later, he went to work for the Los Angeles Times as a cartoonist (Cugat's caricatures were later nationally syndicated).
In the late 1920s, when sound began to be used in films, Cugat put together a tango band that had some success in early short musical films. By the early 1930s, he began appearing with his group in feature films. Cugat took his band to New York to open the new Waldorf Astoria Hotel and it became the hotel's resident group.
He shuttled between New York and Los Angeles for most of the next thirty years, alternating hotel and radio dates with movie appearances.
In 1940, he recorded the song Perfidia with singer Miguelito Valdés which became a big hit. Cugat followed trends closely, making records for the conga, the mambo, the cha-cha-cha, and the twist when each were in fashion.
His first marriage in 1952 was to singer, Abbe Lane, they performed together until they divorced in 1964. He married salsa dancer Charo on August 7, 1966; the two were the first couple to marry in the newly opened Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
Cugat did not lose sleep over artistic compromises: "I would rather play
Chiquita Banana and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve."
Cugat died of heart failure at age 90 in Barcelona, in his native province of Catalonia, Spain.
Cugat was born Francisco de Asis Javier Cugat Mingall de Bru y Deulofeo in Girona, Spain. His family immigrated to Cuba when he was five. He trained as a classical violinist and played with the Orchestra of the Teatro Nacional in Havana.
Sometime between 1915 and 1918, Cugat moved to New York, where he played with a band called "The Gigolos" during the tango craze. Later, he went to work for the Los Angeles Times as a cartoonist (Cugat's caricatures were later nationally syndicated).
In the late 1920s, when sound began to be used in films, Cugat put together a tango band that had some success in early short musical films. By the early 1930s, he began appearing with his group in feature films. Cugat took his band to New York to open the new Waldorf Astoria Hotel and it became the hotel's resident group.
He shuttled between New York and Los Angeles for most of the next thirty years, alternating hotel and radio dates with movie appearances.
In 1940, he recorded the song Perfidia with singer Miguelito Valdés which became a big hit. Cugat followed trends closely, making records for the conga, the mambo, the cha-cha-cha, and the twist when each were in fashion.
His first marriage in 1952 was to singer, Abbe Lane, they performed together until they divorced in 1964. He married salsa dancer Charo on August 7, 1966; the two were the first couple to marry in the newly opened Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
Cugat did not lose sleep over artistic compromises: "I would rather play
Chiquita Banana and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve."
Cugat died of heart failure at age 90 in Barcelona, in his native province of Catalonia, Spain.
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@Markkuolavi
The one and only Siboney, the best version of all!!
@sexkado504
La formidable et entrainante musique que mon père me faisait écouter quand j'étais gamin. Heureusement que j'ai gardé ses 2 plus beaux albums 33 tours. Merci à eux 2
@RobertoAlvarezGalloso
Me estoy recordando de Miami Beach en los 1960s.
@angelriguero8485
7/14/2014
Xavier Cugat......Catalan/Cubano....aprendio violin y musica en Cuba......marcho a los EU, donde su triunfo fue rotundo....supo llevar al publico Americano notables musicos y cantantes Cubanos como Miguelito Valdes, Machito, Desi Arnaz ymuchos mas....esta magnifica interpretacion de Siboney de Lecuona es prueba de su labor en pasear el sabor
Latino con aires del Caribe por la nacion Americana......y seguro lo logro.
@speedyneutrino1729
Back in the Bronze Age I played in our high school marching and concert band. We played "Amparito Roca" and I was hooked on latin rhythms ever since....I LIKE this immensely. I think Xavier Cugat had a wonderful orchestra every bit as good as Glen Miller, Benny Goodman, Paul Whiteman and others.
@bravonolan
that scene that shot that camerawork that music
@giancarlodecicco5741
Continuo afirmando que esta é ,foi, e sera a melhor orquestra de danças do MUNDO..viva CUGAT
@Beanick
Beautiful sound track! That is really great, thanks!!!
@MrDeanMartin
Cugie's got the power!This is real music !!!
@oficial.vick_067
espectacular version y es de años