Latin for Lovers

The tinny, albeit enhanced, sound of this compilation dates the recordings included, though it's a good representation of talent of the late Xavier Cugat as an arranger and conductor as well as violinist. Coming to the United States from Spain at a young age as a violin prodigy, Cugat soon established himself as a consummate musician and showman. The arrangements showcased here effectively convey the rhythm and soul of Latin music through both familiar and lesser known tunes. Vocals in Spanish and English spice up several of the songs, especially the English lyric to the famous tango, "La Cumparsita." His version of the Ernesto Lecuona classic "Siboney" ranks with other versions of this song by Stanley Black, Mantovani, and the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra under Carmen Dragon. Perhaps the high point for me was his reworking of the romantic ballad "Estrellita" into a sprightly rhumba. A drawback is the lack of liner notes or credits to the vocalists on the cover insert. However, Cugat's unique renditions of these songs will provide a good introduction to Latin music for the new listener and new versions of old friends for ears that never tire of hearing them.

Nice collection of Classic Cugat. The Lady In Red, Siboney and many other classic. Cugat was the best and this set is a decent overview of his music. It is nice no frills set available at a bargain price! Very happy with it and would recommend it to anyone that wants to sample his music!

I purchased this cassette tape as a gift to my elderly mother (who does not own a CD player) and she loves it!

At last! Pure, crisp, unadulterated sound--warts and all. But what a sound! I own many CD's by Xavier Cugat and their filtrations do not do justice to the rhythm section. The maracas, especially, sound as if coming from the basement of the recording studio, meaning: muffled. But in this unfiltered audiocassette they are heard to great advantage. Listen to Siboney and Green Eyes and compare them to the CD versions, and the percussion in particular will rise and shine. A brief scratch or two are no big deal and are part of the authenticity of those "old wine" recordings. Even though they were way before my time, I discovered Xavier Cugat when I got into Latin music during the sixties.I believe Cugie's best recordings were made on RCA Victor at the beginning of his career, meaning: the early thirties up to and including 1940 when he was more Latin than American. After switching to Columbia in 1941, the instrumentals became richer and the ensemble sound unmatched by any other Latin orchestra. However, the percussion was often more tame compared to the Victors. Included in this swinging set is Cugat's first recording for Victor in 1933: My Shawl, which would eventually become his signature tune. Madalena (featuring Abbe Lane and Juan Guerrero) and La Ultima Noche were probably recorded in the late fifties are played with gusto reminiscent of his early Victors. So skip the CD; buy the audiocassette!