XAVIER CUGAT — Rumba Rumbero (review)

XAVIER CUGAT — Rumba Rumbero album cover

Boxset / Compilation · 1992 · Afro-Cuban Jazz

4.5/5 · 2011-02-03
Matt

Xavier Cugat was born in Spain in 1900 but settled in Havana Cuba when he was three. Received his first violin at six years of age and at the age of twelve became the first violin in "The Havana National Theatre Symphony Orchestra" where he meet the great Italian tenor " Caruso" who told him to go to New York and Xavier was still twelve years old when he arrived there. Caruso and Xavier were good friends and Xavier even played violin fror Caruso at times. Xavier was playing Classical music and even studied in Berlin and played with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra but could not quite get to the next level with his career. He actually stopped playing violin and started a career as a cartoonist and could he draw them well and soon found himself in demand as an artist. He meet "Charlie Chaplin and played a soundtrack for one of his new talking films. After resuming with his violin Xavier was working in Hollywood in 1927 and decided to form his own band incorporating Latin and Spanish music. Tango, Rumba, Mambo even the Twist, Xavier covered all styles and actually is credited with bringing the Latin sounds to the United States.

Xavier used numerous vocalists but perhaps the most famous would be Miguelito Valdez. He was previously in "Orchestra De La Playa" in Cuba and joined Xavier's or "Cugie's" band in the late 1930's, the young cuban singer would become known as Mr Babalu after his hit of the same name with both the two bands mentioned. Miguelito stayed with Cugie's band for two years. Although Babalu is on this abum it is sung by "Luis Del Campo" as Miguelito's version with Cugie was a hit before in 1939. The line up of people who sang with the band were not all Latin as "Dinah Shore" and "Abbe Lane" also performed at various times.Cugie once quoted "that I would rather play "Chiquita Banana" and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve". Because of the date when these songs where recorded they were all done in a 78 speed format with the limitations of the technology in the studios from that time.The music from this cd does have the sound within the orchestra a little high with that tone the brass suffered from but do not fear as the sound is good for the era and actually adds charm to the recordings as you are often reminded of the old Hollywood movies that contained so many of the Latin Big Bands in their soundtracks.

"Chano Pozo" the famous Cuban conguero was the author of the first tune which was a hit in Cuba and it is "Blen,Blen,Blen" which is a rumba/afro style and one that will stick with the repitition of the title in the chorus and this is actually Miguelito Valdez second version as he performed it with "Orchestra De La Playa" originally and is considered a classic in this genre. Miguelito still has a formal tone to his voice as was the custom for singers from this period but still let go when the rythmn was present. The following "Macurije" would be considered "Danzon" in structure with its slow tempo.The title "Rumba Rumbero" is next with Miguelito showing with his vocals why he is considered even today as one of the great vocalists from this era in Latin Music."Nueva Conga" is the on fourth and is a mambo of course and they were Cugie's staples in the Orchestra. Some great swing is present and trumpet is all over it but this is 1940 and one must remember the music is more restrained than Salsa or Boogaloo but the Latin sound is there within these songs. We also have two songs on the album that were written by Arsenio Rodriguez the great blind Cuban tres player and band leader. "Adios Africa" is the first and Cuban as they come which has been given the mambo touch by Cugie and is dominated with Cugie's violin and the superb vocals of Miguelito which is the last song from him as the vocalists change with the remaining seven songs on the album."Luis Del Campo" sings his version of "Babalu" which is delivered with great latin spirit and to his credit Cugie has given the tune a bit of a re-vamp for Luis. Is it as good as Miguelito's ? That depends on the version that he sang as he did record the tune on several separate occasions with each one losing formality as time wore on. We even have a great live version of "Chango Ta Beni" which follows and is a Yoruba and as Cuban as it comes.

Listed on the album are 20 tracks but there are actually 21 and a mistake was made.The omission is actually number 20 on the song selection and is quite catchy with some great trumpet.I could attempt the title with my translation but I won't.

Xavier Cugat made some original music in his day but also he was a wonderful cartoonist and the actual cover is by Cugie himself. Rating these style discs are difficult with the music contained as it is from another time and not the current sounding music we all hear but perhaps that is where the beauty is. You hear where it came from and although sounding formal in the odd spot, you still have that latin spirit and swing. Some of these songs are still performed today and a few are actually Latin Classics and contained here is musical history in the making.