Y Su Orquesta Mambo

In the wild and woolly world of music marketing, the words "Absolute" and "Best" have been rendered highly suspect through decades of careless usage. The "Absolute Best" of Xavier Cugat as determined by the folks behind the Proper reissue label turns out to contain a well-chosen selection of swank lounge music from the 1950s. Many of Cugie's biggest hits are splendidly rendered here: "Besame Mucho," "Begin the Beguine," "Carioca," "Bahia," "Brazil," and "Tequila" are each presented with the Proper ratio of oil to vinegar (or gin to vermouth as the case may be). Those who are interested in taking advantage of the fact that Cugat's discography reaches back to the early '30s should consult the Harlequin label's outstanding and sizable series of meticulously researched historical Cugat compilations. Meanwhile, Proper's Absolute Best is the perfect Cugat sampler. And providing the public with intelligently presented collections of excellent music is what Proper is all about. Hopefully Proper's Absolute Best will not be confused with Mambo, a Cugat album released on the Absolute Best label in 2000. ~arwulf arwulf|