Xavier Cugat (Catalan: [ʃəβiˈe kuˈɣat]; January 1, 1900 â€"
October 27, 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 Waldorfâ€"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.Cugat was born Francisco de AsÃs Javier Cugat
Mingall de Bru y Deulofeu in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. 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 wasn't
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, playing violin solos.In the 1920s, he led
a band that played often at the Cocoanut Grove, a club in Los Angeles.
Cugat's friend, Charlie Chaplin, 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 as a cartoonist. His caricatures were nationally
syndicated. They appeared in Photoplay magazine beginning with the
November 1927 issue, under the byline "de Bru." His older brother,
Francis, was an artist of some note, having painted cover art for F.
Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby.
October 27, 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 Waldorfâ€"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.Cugat was born Francisco de AsÃs Javier Cugat
Mingall de Bru y Deulofeu in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. 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 wasn't
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, playing violin solos.In the 1920s, he led
a band that played often at the Cocoanut Grove, a club in Los Angeles.
Cugat's friend, Charlie Chaplin, 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 as a cartoonist. His caricatures were nationally
syndicated. They appeared in Photoplay magazine beginning with the
November 1927 issue, under the byline "de Bru." His older brother,
Francis, was an artist of some note, having painted cover art for F.
Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby.
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