Xavier Cugat (; ; 1 January 1900 – 27 October 1990) was an American musician and bandleader who was a leading figure in the spread of

Latin music Latin music (Portuguese language, Portuguese and ) is a term used by the music industry as a catch-all category for various styles of music from Ibero-America, which encompasses Music of Latin America, Latin America, Music of Spain, Spain, Mu ...

. Originally from

Girona Girona (; ) is the capital city of the Province of Girona in the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 106,476 in 2024, but the p ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

, he spent his formative years in

Havana, Cuba Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in 1915. A trained violinist and arranger, he was the leader of the resident orchestra at the Waldorf–Astoria before and after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Also a restaurateur in

West Hollywood West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. History Most historical writings about West Hollywood be ...

, he and his band appeared in numerous motion pictures in the 1930s and 1940s. He was also a cartoonist. The personal papers of Xavier Cugat are preserved in the Library of Catalonia.

Life and career

Cugat was born Francisco de Asís Javier Cugat Mingall de Bru y DeulofeuXavier Cugat official webpage
xaviercugat.com; accessed 8 November 2015. in

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

, Spain, in 1900 (although he would later claim to have been born in 1901). His family emigrated to Cuba when he was three years old. He studied classical violin and worked as a violinist at the age of nine in a silent movie theater to help pay for his education. He was first chair violinist for the Teatro Nacional Symphonic Orchestra. When he was not performing, he started drawing caricatures. On 6 July 1915 he and his family arrived in New York City on the SS ''Havana''. Cugat appeared in recitals with

Enrico Caruso Enrico Caruso (, , ; 25 February 1873 – 2 August 1921) was an Italian operatic first lyric tenor then dramatic tenor. He sang to great acclaim at the major opera houses of Europe and the Americas, appearing in a wide variety of roles that r ...

, playing violin solos. In the 1920s, he led a band that played often at the Coconut Grove, a club in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. Cugat's friend,

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

, visited the club to dance the tango, so Cugat added tangos to the band's performances. Seeing how popular the dance was becoming, Cugat convinced the owner to hire South American dancers to give tango lessons. This, too, became popular, and Cugat made the dancers part of his orchestra. In 1928 he turned his act into the film ''Xavier Cugat and His Gigolos''. He worked for the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' as a cartoonist. His caricatures were nationally syndicated. They appeared in ''

Photoplay ''Photoplay'' was one of the first American film fan magazines, its title another word for screenplay. It was founded in Chicago in 1911. Under early editors Julian Johnson and James R. Quirk, in style and reach it became a pacesetter for fan m ...

'' magazine beginning with the November 1927 issue, under the byline "de Bru." His older brother,

Francis Francis may refer to: People and characters *Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church (2013–2025) *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) * Francis, a character played by YouTuber Boogie2 ...

, was an artist of some note, having painted cover art for F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel ''

The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' () is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with Jay Gatsby, a mysterious mi ...

.'' In 1931, Cugat took his band to New York for the 1931 opening of the Waldorf–Astoria hotel. He replaced

Jack Denny Jack Denny (September 25, 1895 – September 15, 1950) was an American dance band leader during the pre-World War II years. He was born in the United States and started his musical career in Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebe ...

as leader of the hotel's resident band. For sixteen years, he led the Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra (1933-1949), shuttling between New York and Los Angeles for most of the next 30 years. One of his trademark gestures was to hold a Chihuahua while he waved his baton with the other arm. His music career led to appearing in the films '' In Gay Madrid'' (1930), ''

You Were Never Lovelier ''You Were Never Lovelier'' is a 1942 American musical romantic comedy film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth. The supporting cast also features Adolphe Menjou, Xavier Cugat and Adele Mara. The music ...

'' (1942), ''

Bathing Beauty ''Bathing Beauty'' is a 1944 American Musical film, musical romantic comedy film directed by George Sidney, and starring Red Skelton and Esther Williams. Although this was not Williams' screen debut, it was her first Technicolor musical. The f ...

'' (1944), '' Week-End at the Waldorf'' (1945), '' Holiday in Mexico'' (1946), '' A Date with Judy'' (1948), '' On an Island with You'' (1948), and '' Chicago Syndicate'' (1955). Cugat owned and operated the Mexican restaurant Casa Cugat in

. The restaurant was frequented by Hollywood celebrities and featured two singing guitarists who would visit each table and play diners' favorite songs upon request. The restaurant began operations in the 1940s and closed in 1986. The restaurant's exterior and a fanciful depiction of its interior can be found in scenes in the 1949 film '' Neptune's Daughter'' in which Cugat has a substantial role playing himself. A brief scene revolving around the restaurant can also be seen in the earlier 1943 film '' The Heat's On'', also starring Cugat as himself. TombaCugat

Personal life and death

Cugat was married five times. His first marriage was to Rita Montaner (1918–20), his second was to his band vocalist Carmen Castillo (1929–46), his third to actress Lorraine Allen (1947–52), his fourth to singer Abbe Lane (1952–64), and his fifth to Spanish guitarist and comic actress

Charo María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza, professionally known by her stage name Charo, is a Spanish-born actress, singer, comedian, and flamenco guitarist who rose to international prominence in the 1960s on American television, as well ...

(1966–78). Cugat became a naturalized American citizen in 1941. In 1972 Cugat returned to Catalonia, living in a suite at the Hotel El Palace in

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

, which, at the time, was the Ritz Hotel. He died of

heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to Cardiac cycle, fill with and pump blood. Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF ...

at age 90 in Barcelona and was buried in his native Girona. He was posthumously inducted into the

International Latin Music Hall of Fame The International Latin Music Hall of Fame (ILMHF) was an annual event established in 1999 and held in New York City to honor artists who have largely contributed to the Latin music genre. In addition to the induction into the Hall of Fame, the a ...

in 2001.

Recordings

Cugat recorded for Columbia (1940s and 1950s, and Epic),

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic ...

(1930s and 1950s), Mercury (1951–52 and the 1960s), and

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, record label * Decca Gold, classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, musical theater record label * Decca Studios, recording facility in West ...

(1960s).

Dinah Shore Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore; February 29, 1916 – February 24, 1994) was an American singer, actress, television personality, and the chart-topping female vocalist of the 1940s. She rose to prominence as a recording artist during the ...

made her first recordings as a vocalist with Cugat in 1939 and 1940 for RCA Victor. In 1940 his recording of " Perfidia" became a hit. Cugat followed trends closely, making records for the conga, the

mambo Mambo most often refers to: *Mambo (music), a Cuban musical form *Mambo (dance), a dance corresponding to mambo music Mambo may also refer to: Music * Mambo section, a section in arrangements of some types of Afro-Caribbean music, particul ...

, the cha-cha-cha, and the twist when these dances were popular. Several songs that he recorded, including "Perfidia", were used in the

Wong Kar-wai Wong Kar-wai (born 17 July 1958) is a Hong Kong film director, screenwriter, and producer. His films are characterised by nonlinear narratives, atmospheric music, and vivid cinematography involving bold, saturated colours. A pivotal figure o ...

films '' Days of Being Wild'' and ''

2046 In contemporary history, the third millennium is the current millennium in the ''Anno Domini'' or Common Era, under the Gregorian calendar. It began on 1 January 2001 ( MMI) and will end on 31 December 3000 ( MMM), spanning the 21st to 30 ...

.'' In 1943, "

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

" was Cugat's most successful chart hit. It spent seven weeks at No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' magazine National Best Selling Retail Records chart behind Harry James's song " I've Heard That Song Before". In the 1950s he made several recordings with his wife, singer Abbe Lane. His orchestra included

Desi Arnaz Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986), known as Desi Arnaz, was a Cuban-American actor, musician, producer, and bandleader. He played Ricky Ricardo on the American television sitcom ''I Love Lucy'', in whi ...

, Lina Romay, Abbe Lane, Tito Rodriguez,

Yma Sumac Zoila Augusta Emperatriz Chávarri del Castillo (born Zoila Emperatriz Chávarri Castillo; September 13, 1922 – November 1, 2008), known as Yma Sumac (or Imma Sumack), was a Peruvian singer. She won a Guinness World Records, Guinness World Re ...

, Miguelito Valdés, Frank Berardi, Gene Lorello, George Lopez, Glenn E. Brown, Henry Greher, Isabello Marerro, James English, John Haluko, Joseph Gutierrez, Luis Castellanos, Manuel Paxtot, Oswaldo Oliveira, Otto Bolívar, Otto Garcia, Rafael Angelo, Richard Hoffman, Robert De Joseph, and Robert Jones.

Discography

* ''The Lady in Red'' (

, 1935)"The Lady in Red" by Xavier Cugat and His Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra, Written by Mort Dixon and Allie Wrubel, Recorded April 1, 1935, and released April 24, 1935, on Victor 25012-A, 78 RPM sing
SecondHandSongs
/ref> * ''One, Two, Three, Kick – Congas'' (Victor, 1941) * ''Xavier Cugat's Mexico'' (Columbia, 1944) * ''Cugat's Favorite Rhumbas'' ( Columbia, 1945) * ''In Santiago, Chile'' (Tain't Chilly At All) (Columbia], 1948) * ''Siesta'' (Columbia, 1948) * ''Tropical Bouquets'' (Columbia, 1949) * ''Relaxing with Cugat'' (Columbia, 1952) * ''Dancetime with Cugat'' (RCA Victor, 1953) * ''Cugat's Favorite Rhumbas'' (Columbia, 1954) * ''Ole!'' (Columbia, 1955) * ''Mambo at the Waldorf'' (Columbia, 1955) * ''Cha Cha Cha'' (Columbia, 1955) * ''Cugatango!'' (10" record) (Columbia, 1956) * ''Bread, Love and Cha Cha Cha'' (Columbia, 1957) * ''Waltzes but by Cugat!'' (Columbia, 1957) * ''Mambo! (Music for Latin Lovers)'' ( Mercury, 1957) * ''The King Plays Some Aces'' (RCA Victor, 1958) * ''Cugat Calvalcade'' (Columbia, 1958) * ''Cugat in Spain'' (RCA Victor, 1959) * ''That Latin Beat!'' (RCA Victor, 1959) * ''Chile Con Cugie'' (RCA Victor, 1959) * ''The Latin Rhythms of Xavier Cugat'' ( Harmony Records, Harmony, 1960) * ''Cugat in France, Spain, and Italy'' (RCA Victor, 1960) * ''The Best of Cugat'' (Mercury, 1961) * ''Viva Cugat!'' (Mercury, 1961) * ''Twist with Cugat'' (Mercury, 1962) * ''Cugat Plays Continental Hits'' (Mercury, 1962) * ''Most Popular Movie Hits As Styled By Cugat'' (Mercury, 1962) * ''Cugat Plays Continental Hits'' (Mercury, 1962) * ''Cugi's Cocktails'' (Mercury, 1963) * ''Cugat's Golden Goodies'' (Mercury, 1963) * ''Cugi's Cocktails'' (Mercury, 1963) * ''Cugat Caricatures'' (Mercury, 1964) * ''Plays the Music of Ernesto Lecuona'' (Mercury, 1964) * ''Midnight Roses'' (

, 1968) * ''The Cugat Touch'' (Springboard, 1976)

References

External links

Personal papers of Xavier Cugat
Biblioteca de Catalunya; accessed 8 November 2015
About Xavier Cugat

Xavier Cugat recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database catalog of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The 78rpm era was the time period in which any flat disc records were being played at ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Cugat, Xavier 1900 births 1990 deaths People from Girona Spanish emigrants to Cuba 20th-century Spanish musicians 20th-century violinists American cartoonists American people of Catalan descent American big band bandleaders Cuban big band bandleaders Musicians from Catalonia Cuban emigrants to the United States Cuban people of Catalan descent Spanish jazz bandleaders Cuban jazz bandleaders Latin jazz bandleaders Latin jazz musicians Latin jazz violinists Rhumba musicians Columbia Records artists Decca Records artists Mercury Records artists RCA Victor artists Los Angeles Times people