RCA did not get
Xavier Cugat's best work.
The King Plays Some Aces offers little in the way of new material, instead concentrating on updating some standards for stereo. "Cuban Mambo," a fantastic number on Columbia, here gets a more exotic treatment. There are some lovely tunes, such as "Adios" and "Baia" (both arranged by
Sid Ramin), but the album is lackluster. The jacket art, a self-caricature by
Cugat, and
Cugat's own liner notes are interesting -- at least until
Cugat takes credit for giving starts to
Desi Arnaz, Miguelito Valdez, and
Yma Sumac.