A To Z Challenge, Music Blog

That’s Entertainment – Letter X

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Welcome back to “That’s Entertainment!” –
The A To Z Challenge.
I hope you enjoy my musical selections.
Let’s see what’s up today!

© NAR
Artwork by Ernest Federspiel

XAVIER CUGAT ORCHESTRA – Before multitasking was even a thing, Xavier Cugat was a pro at it. A native of Catalonia who spent his formative years in Havana, he was a violinist and music arranger, and a leading figure in the spread of Latin music in the US. In New York, he was the leader of the resident orchestra of the Waldorf Astoria before and after WWII. In addition, he was a restaurateur and a cartoonist. Xavier Cugat was the “Rumba King”, a prime mover of the Latin American rhythm craze of the 1930s and ’40s. Known for his musical genius and glitzy persona as the king of the posh nightclub scene with his signature tuxedo, ear-to-ear smile, pencil thin mustache, large South American hat, violin bow and chihuahua in hand, Cugat reigned over the party in film, radio and live nightclub performances. He was the natural life of the party who considered himself more an entertainer and showman than a musician – and he made no apology for it. “I play music”, he said, “make an atmosphere that people enjoy. It makes them happy. They smile. They dance. Feel good – who be sorry for that?” Xavier Cugat was born in Barcelona, Spain on January 1, 1900; while still a young child, Cugat proved to be a violin prodigy while growing up in Havana, earning enough money to finance his family’s move to the US in 1915, settling in Brooklyn, NY. During that year, at the age of 15, he accompanied tenor Enrico Caruso on a world tour. In 1928, Xavier Cugat formed a combo to play Latin-American music at the fashionable Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles and found immediate success; audiences were captivated by the exotic rhythms and sounds of his music. Cugat gained a reputation for being a very shrewd businessman …. a talent which took him far. His Hollywood connections helped his orchestra climb to the top of the entertainment industry, appearing in 13 MGM musicals, weekly radio broadcasts and a 16 year engagement at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in what became known at “Cugat’s Room”. Along the way, the orchestra introduced songs that became Latin-American standards, often sung by Cugat’s series of bombshell wives including Rita Montaner, Carmen Castillo, Lorraine Allen, Abbe Lane, and Charo. He also launched the careers of such iconic performers as Dinah Shore, Desi Arnaz, Tito Puente, and Charo. His recipe for success was a spectacular floorshow, including the orchestra in colorful costumes to grab the attention of the audience and demonstrate the latest Latin-American dances. He may not have single-handedly introduced Latin-American music to the US but he was one of the greatest promoters of the style and helped pave the way for the artists who followed him. Xavier Cugat appeared as himself in a string of movies, including 1949’s “Neptune’s Daughter” starring Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban. In the middle of the movie, the orchestra plays the exciting Latin song called “Jungle Rhumba”.

From 1949, this is “Jungle Rhumba” from the extravaganza “Neptune’s Daughter” performed by the Xavier Cugat Orchestra.


Please join me again tomorrow for more of “That’s Entertainment” and the A To Z Challenge!

I’m Nancy and I’ll see you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2025

All text and graphics are copyright for Nancy’s Notes 🖊️🎶, The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, The Rhythm Section, et al., and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

30 thoughts on “That’s Entertainment – Letter X”

    1. This is the type of entertainment I grew up with, usually scaled down for shows like Ed Sullivan, but definitely energetic exotica. Cugat was one of a kind and Charo, for all her coochie coochie silliness, is an amazing classically trained guitar player. You might want to check her out. Thank you, Liz!

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  11. Oh wow, what an exciting music machine he would have back in those days … meanwhile, back in Aussieland we have our own excitement music machine, the amazing multi-talented Xavier Rudd (he’s from Jan Juc, near Geelong) and I go to see his concert whenever he’s back home in Geelong) …

    Two songs from Xavier, “Spirit Bird” and “Lioness Eye” … enjoy, Nancy … 🎵🌏

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    1. Throughout this challenge, Penn, I featured only music I know. There were other choices for X but nothing I knew …. only the Xavier Cugat Orchestra would do! I’m so glad I was able to give you your Monday uplift! Thanks so much for your great comments!

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