Oceánide 6 2014 a Spaniard in America / an Americano in Spain: Xavier Cugat and His Incredible Story Galina BAKHTIAROVA (Wester
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Oceánide 6 2014 Fecha de recepción: 30 diciembre 2013 Fecha de aceptación: 28 enero 2014 Fecha de publicación: 10 febrero 2014 URL:http://oceanide.netne.net/articulos/art6-1.php Oceánide número 6, ISSN 1989-6328 A Spaniard in America / An Americano in Spain: Xavier Cugat and his Incredible Story Galina BAKHTIAROVA (Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, United States) RESUMEN: El líder estadounidense Xavier Cugat (1901-1990), autoproclamado Rey de la Rumba, es uno de los nombres más conocidos en el panorama musical de los Estados Unidos desde finales de 1930 hasta la década de 1960. Nacido en la ciudad de Girona, en lo que hoy es la Comunidad Autónoma de Cataluña, en España, y educado como músico en Cuba, Cugat aprovechó el encanto de los ritmos exóticos asociados entre España y América Latina. Cugat siempre se auto-identificó como catalán y al tiempo, se sentía orgulloso de su ciudadanía americana. Su influencia en la música popular estadounidense y mundial fue enorme. Su trayectoria refleja, como ninguna otra, la historia de la música popular del siglo XX cuando se difuminan las fronteras nacionales y las culturas se mezclan entre sí. Un gran promotor de sí mismo e inteligente showman, ha participado en numerosos actos publicitarios, siempre dispuesto a conceder entrevistas. De estas entrevistas nace en parte el mito de Cugat, convirtiendo su biografía en una fusión entre realidad e imaginación, que sigue confundiendo aun hoy en día a escritores e investigadores. Una yuxtaposición de sus dos relatos autobiográficos, y múltiples entrevistas a los medios, insinúan cierta aura de fama, y un deseo desenfrenado de auto-promoción. Este artículo explora la vida de Cugat, en el contexto de la música popular y la cultura estadounidense de la primera mitad del siglo XX, y separa los hechos de la ficción que él mismo colaboró a inventar. Palabras clave: música popular, música latina, industria del entretenimiento, tango, rumba, conga, mambo ABSTRACT: American bandleader Xavier Cugat (1901-1990), the self-proclaimed King of the Rumba, was a household name in the United States from the late 1930s to the 1960s. Born in the city of Gerona in what is now the autonomous region of Catalonia in Spain and raised and initially trained as a musician in Cuba, Cugat took full advantage of the allure of exotic rhythms associated with Spain and Latin America. Cugat always self-identified as a Catalan and was proud of being an American citizen. His influence on American and world-wide popular music was enormous. His trajectory as no other reflects the story of twentieth century popular music when national borders were blurred, and cultures were blended and transformed. A savvy entertainer and self-promoter, he participated in numerous publicity stunts and was always eager to give interviews and talk about himself. Stories that Cugat told to the media became part of his invented biography, which continues to confuse writers and researchers even today. A juxtaposition of his two autobiographic narratives and multiple interviews that he gave to the media throughout the world brings about thoughts about publicity, stardom and an unbridled desire for self-promotion. This article explores Cugat’s life in the context of American popular music and culture of the first half of the twentieth century and separates facts from fiction that he invented about himself. Keywords: popular music, Latino music, entertainment industry, tango, rumba, conga, mambo URL:http://oceanide.netne.net/articulos/art6-1.php Oceánide 6 2014 American bandleader Xavier Cugat (1901- Buena Vista Social Club, Cugat filled dance 1990), the self-proclaimed King of the rooms, music halls, stadiums and living Rumba, was a household name in the United rooms throughout the world with music States from the late 1930s to the 1960s. that pleased and entertained. Cugat’s influence on American and world- wide popular music was enormous. So also Born in Spain in 1901 and raised and was his involvement in the entertainment initially trained as a musician in Cuba, industry. Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Dinah Cugat took full advantage of the allure of Shore, Desi Arnaz, Carmen Miranda, Lina exotic rhythms associated with Spain and Romay, Miguelito Valdés, Abbe Lane and Latin America. A showman with a keen Charo Baeza, among many others, started sense of what his audiences wanted and their careers or performed at some point expected, Cugat was credited by the press under the direction of his violin bow, and the media for the tango, rhumba, conga which he often used instead of a baton. and mambo craze in the United States. For sixteen years starting in 1933, his A multitalented entertainer, Cugat was a orchestra was the staple of entertainment virtuoso violin player, a reputable caricature at the most prestigious venue in the artist, a painter and an entrepreneur. country, the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New Over almost ninety years of his life, he York City. The weekly radio broadcasts of gave his name to multiple ventures that his Waldorf Astoria show were a big hit with included the breeding of Chihuahua dogs; the listeners at the time when radio waves the marketing of men’s shirts and ties; were the main purveyor of entertainment for traditional Christmas candy with a tropical the nation. Though his detractors routinely flair which he called “Cugat Nugats;” dismissed his arrangements of melodies smoking pipes (he never smoked himself); borrowed from the rich Latin American and cocktails, and restaurants. Starting in the Spanish sources as not authentic, Cugat late 1920s, Cugat and his publicity agents seemed undeterred by these criticisms. used every opportunity to promote his Into the 1960s, he continued to fill the exceptional talents for music and caricature dance halls and radio waves with his own drawing to advance his career. Numerous crowd-pleasing and somewhat bombastic publicity stunts and stories that Cugat told versions of the so-called latunes, American to the media became part of his invented songs with a tropical flair. The success of biography, which continues to confuse his unique adaptation of Latino melodies writers and researchers even today. His to North American tastes paved his way to two autobiographical narratives Rumba Is Hollywood where Cugat and his orchestra My Life (1948), illustrated by the author were featured in numerous motion pictures. and published in New York by Didier, and Among the most popular were war time Yo Cugat: Mis primeros 80 Años (1981), hits You Were Never Lovelier (1942) with published in Spain by Dasa Edicions, are Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth, Bathing an entertaining read, yet they prove to be Beauty (1944) with Esther Williams and an unreliable source. Rumba is My Life was Red Skelton and Week-End at the Waldorf published as the country was recovering (1945) featuring Ginger Rogers and Lana from the trauma of World War II, while Yo Turner. Later in the 1950s, he boasted an Cugat appeared in Spain at the time when ubiquitous presence on TV and in concert the nation was going through a not so easy and dance halls. transition from a repressive authoritarian regime to a modern democratic state. This Even though Cugat did not fulfill his ambition was a time of artistic freedom and social of living one hundred years, his trajectory changes never seen before in Spain. A as no other reflects the story of twentieth juxtaposition of his two autobiographical century popular music when national narratives, one in English from 1948 and borders were blurred, and cultures were the other in Spanish from 1981, brings blended and transformed.1 Ever a showman about thoughts about publicity, stardom with a keen eye, desire and intuition for and an unbridled desire for self-promotion. innovation, Cugat took full advantage There is hardly any doubt that as he was of developing technologies. He brought growing older, he most likely believed the his own unique brand of Latino music to stories that he had told and retold to the millions of newly converted fans. Long media. From the very early appearances of before the elegant Desi Arnaz conquered his career that span almost eight decades, the hearts of American housewives beating he promoted himself associating his name the drums and greeting his TV and real- with celebrities, such as Enrico Caruso, life wife with an inimitable Cuban speak, the most famous tenor of the time, and “Lucy, I am home;” long before Celia Cruz Rudolph Valentino, the matinee idol of the made dancing salsa a part of suburban 1920s, to name but a few. His invented American life-style; long before Americans biography continues to be recycled not rediscovered Cuban music through the only on the Internet fan sites but in URL:http://oceanide.netne.net/articulos/art6-1.php Oceánide 6 2014 academic publications, music dictionaries, silent movies at the centrally located annotations of CDs and DVDs, and even in movie theater Payret in Havana. His his obituaries in 1990. companion at the time was a young pianist who later became world famous as Moisés Born in the city of Gerona in what is now the Simons, the composer of one of the most autonomous region of Catalonia in Spain, popular songs of the twentieth century, Cugat always self-identified as a Catalan. “El manisero,” The Peanut Vendor. It was “My Shawl,” a theme that he composed as first recorded in 1927 or 1928 and often an opening act for his orchestra, was based credited for the initiation of rumba craze on Catalan folkloric music and, according in the United States. Cugat performed and to him, his orchestra started every show recorded “El manisero” with many different with this theme no matter where they artists later in life.