Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra - Cugi's Cocktails (1963)

Contrary to the title, Cugi's Cocktails is no sleepy album of "cocktail music." It has all the elements a listener would expect of Xavier Cugat's first great stereo album: an agreeable theme, a dash of exotic flair, and all the bombast of the preceding half-decade of experimenting with high-fidelity stereo recording. "One Mint Julep" would have made Twist With Cugat. Also of note are the bossa nova "Daiquiri," Hal Mooney's "Cugi's Cocktail" (a "hully gully cha cha"), and "Singapore Sling." Cugat's composition "Zombie" is exotic and wonderful, and only "Old-Fashioned" is dismissible. With fun, metaphor-laden liner notes and better than average artwork, Cugi's Cocktails makes a fine addition to any record collection or bar.