Xavier Cugat | |
---|---|
Born | Francisco de Asís Javier Cugat Mingall de Bru y Deulofeu 1 January 1900[1] |
Died | 27 October 1990 | (aged 90)
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1925–1970 |
Spouses | Carmen Castillo
(m. 1929; div. 1946)Lorraine Allen
(m. 1947; div. 1952) |
Relatives | Francis Cugat (brother) |
Website | xaviercugat |
External audio | |
---|---|
You may listen to Xavier Cugat conducting his Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra performing Consuelo Velázquez's rhumba Bésame Mucho in 1945 Listen on archive.org |
Xavier Cugat (Catalan: [ʃəβiˈe kuˈɣat]; 1 January 1900[1] – 27 October 1990) was a Spanish musician and bandleader who spent his formative years in Havana, Cuba. A trained violinist and arranger, he was a leading figure in the spread of Latin music. In New York City, he was the leader of the resident orchestra at the Waldorf–Astoria before and after World War II. He was also a cartoonist and a restaurateur. The personal papers of Xavier Cugat are preserved in the Biblioteca de Catalunya.