Xavier Cugat

Xavier Cugat was born in 1900 in Cuba. He was a Spanish-American bandleader who played a major role in the spread of Latin mambo music in United States, making it popular. He was also a skilled cartoonist and a shrewd businessman. Read on to know more on Xavier Cugat biography.

Xavier Cugat family arrived in New York as immigrant passengers in 1915. Xavier was five then. He had his first brush with success with a band called "The Gigolos" during the tango craze. When the craze ended, Cugat picked up odd jobs as a violinist. He alos went to work in Los Angeles Times as a cartoonist. By late 1920s, he assembled another tango band. His group also featured in films with memorable titles as "In Gay Madrid."

Xavier Cugat music was a success also due to his showmanship. Dressing the band in flaming red jackets and mixing a steady flow of novelty numbers with dance tunes, he never had any regrets about his artistic compromises.

Xavier Cugat music later on was among his most appealing and listenable. He put out a series of albums that fall somewhere between discotheque and Latin soul and include some excellent numbers. Xavier Cugat discography includes some very popular numbers like Perfidia, Cugie's Cocktails, Manhattan, Cuba Libre, Creme de Menthe, Cugie a-Go-Go and many more.

Xavier Cugat was a notorious womanizer and married five times. He always put attractive women in his groups. To wrap up Xavier Cugat biography, it can rightly said that he had more to do with the infusion of Latin music into the popular American scene than any other musician.