Xavier Cugat was born in Catalonia, Spain in 1900. He grew up around classical music but found his direction in the rhythms coming from Latin America. By the 1930s and 1940s, he was leading an orchestra in New York that played a mix of Cuban, Mexican, and Brazilian styles.
His recording of "Rico Vacilón" became one of his best-known tunes. He also recorded songs like "Cha Cha Cha" and "Brazil." Cugat's orchestra featured musicians including Tito Puente and Machito during those years.
He appeared on television and in films, and toured through the United States, Europe, and Latin America. Some critics at the time felt he made Latin music too commercial, but his records kept selling. Albums like "Cugat in Hi-Fi" and "Mambo Jumbo" came out in the 1950s.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.