LATIN RHYTHM IS HIS BUSINESS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 6, Issue 150, 8 May 1942, Page 11

LATIN RHYTHM IS HIS BUSINESS

But Cartoons Are His Hobby

RAWING cartoons is a favourite hobby of Xavier Cugat, a special presentation of whose music will be heard during Sunday afternoon programmes from the ZB stations shortly. Cugat is a versatile black and white artist, but his big job is music, Latin music. Unlike much of the Latin music broadcast, which is too often either amateurish or "false Latin,’ Cugat’s is the genuine article. He was born in Spain, was a professional violinist at 10 years of age, and early in life went to Havana, where the strange Afro-Spanish-American rhythms of the native music got into his blood. The musicians of his band are Latins, and the instruments they play are conga drums, maracas, bongos and other musical novelties from "South of the Border." He is playing at the present time in the Rumba Room of New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, and his music is relayed regularly on _ short-wave to South America. New Zealand listeners have probably heard it. The programme from the ZB’s, which will be heard from 3ZB on Sunday afternoon, May 10 in the Radio Matinee, and later from other stations, includes a zamba, two rumbas, three congas, a tango, a bolero, a Mexican polka and a beguine. There are refrains by a women’s chorus, and by a Spanish singer Carmen Castillo. One of the rumbas is "To-night We Love," which lovers of classical music will recognise as an interesting version of a Tchaikovski concerto!