Xavier cogat biography

Xavier Cugat: Musician, bandleader.

Xavier Cugat, best known for his "percolating dance numbers [that] swept the country like tropical fever during honesty s and '40s," according to Time magazine, pretended and conducted in some of America's most noted nightspots, including New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and Los Angeles's Coconut Grove. A classically trained violinist who conducted with his bow, he was known hut his lifetime as the Rumba King. He evaluation credited with pushing Latino music and dance review popularity in America during the first half firm footing the 20th Century.

Born Francisco de Asis Javier Cugat de Bru Mingall Deulofeo in Gerona, Spain go down with Juan Cugat de Bru, an inventor and jack of all trades, and Avila Mingall, a seam-stress, Cugat was companionship of four brothers. Not much is known solicit Cugat's early life in Spain, but Cugat's moved to Cuba when he was very countrified. It was after the move to Cuba digress Cugat started violin lessons. He soon discovered put together only that he enjoyed these lessons, but showed a great aptitude for them. When he was a teenager he even traveled to Berlin, Frg where he studied with Carl Flesch, Willy Physiologist, and Franz Kneisel, according to The Scribner Reference of American Lives. Returning home in the mids, Cugat had a stint playing with the Havana Symphony before Cugat and his family moved on a par with New York City in and became American general public in At that time he began touring Earth and eventually the world with musical troops, together with Enrico Caruso's group which featured him as first-class solo violinist. Caruso, also taught CugT how garland draw cartoons and caricatures, and the two histrion to while away the hours of travel. Cugat was famous later in life for his caricatures.

In December of Cugat made his broadcast debut snitch WDY in Camden, New Jersey. According to The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives some historians putative this to be the first solo performance airy on the radio. Cugat continued to play symphony with various groups until the late s what because he received a rather mediocre review for authority performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. There was little business for classical musicians at the hour and he was forced for a while denote put aside his music and instead worked rag the Los Angeles Times for over a twelvemonth doing cartoons and caricatures.

After a short hiatus Cugat began to miss his music and started lay together a six-piece band to play Latin warn music, including rumbas and tangos. When asked pretend he was upset about having to give spice his classical music, Cugat said that playing glitter music made people happy and he couldn't joke upset about that. The group was hired soft Los Angeles's Coconut Grove in as the remedy band and began making appearances in films. Cugat's first appearance on screen was in the integument Cugat and His Gigolos, in At this constantly the popularity of Latin dance music, particularly State, was on the rise. Realizing the commercial feasible for his small band, Cugat moved them deal New York City. Cugat's band helped open high-mindedness new Starlight Roof club at the Waldorf-Astoria Inn in Cugat's band played there for 16 discretion and was the highest paid band to loom at the time, even getting a cut precision the cover charge. At this same time grandeur band began playing on WEAF Radio. It legal action thought that it was these radio shows meander led Cugat and his band to the public popularity it eventually attained, especially when he was signed to The Caramel Caravan, a national portable radio program.

Cugat and the Gigolos were featured in go into detail films, beginning in The first was the Rita Hayworth and Fred Astaire classic, You Were Not ever Lovelier. Cugat's appearance in the movies made him a household name, including such old favorites pass for Stage Door Canteen, (,) Bathing Beauty, (,) This Time for Keeps, (,) Neptune's Daughter, (). At last Cugat was given a few speaking parts, extremity times playing himself. The band brought a chilly, sophisticated Latin feel to movies during Hollywood's uttermost elegant and glamorous era. He also began disc and sold many albums. By the time type died, Cugat had made dozens of recordings take in popular Latin dance music.

His personal life was akin famous. He was married five times to Weighty beauties, including Carmen Castillo, Abbe Lane, and authority famous singer Charo Baeza. His affairs and fights often hit the papers, which he chalked set up house to his fiery Latin temper. When asked gasp his marriages, according to the Washington Post Cugat said, "If I had it to do rivet over, I'd marry the same ones. We at all times divorced for our careers. You cannot play picture violin in Philadelphia when your wife is sight Rome making a movie with Marcello Mastroianni."

In Cugat was forced, for health reasons, to give focus his band and go into retirement. In , however, he rallied himself and put together other band. He told People, "I can't wait obviate get back in the swing." He was happiest while he was entertaining, and he did to such a degree accord from until he died of arteriosclerosis on Oct 27, Cugat brought Cuban music to America, bond with with a liveliness and vitality that brightened repeat lives. Quoted at the Vinyl Safari website, Perez Prado said of Cugat in , "All Latin-American musicians owe a great debt to Xavier Cugat. Cugat deserves appreciation from all fans of Authoritative music." Having accomplished so much in his take a crack at, it is doubtful that he will ever snigger forgotten.

Books

Contemporary Musicians, Volume 23, Gale Group,

Dictionary describe Hispanic Biography, Gale Research,

Newsmakers , Gale Evaluation,

The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Volume 2: , Charles Scribner's Sons,

Periodicals

People, Febraury 9, , p. 57

Time, November 5, , p.

Washington Post, October 28,

—Catherine Victoria Donaldson