Xavier Cugat
"Viva Cugat!" (Vinyl)

From the liner notes:

"What Paul Whiteman was to symphonic jazz, Guy Lombardo to 'sweet corn' and Benny Goodman to swing, Xavier Cugat has been to the Latin beat in American dance music."

A Latin bandleader, Cugat is responsible for bringing Latin music to American audiences. (Think Ricky Ricardo.)
The music is fun, whimsical and full of an ocean of Latin percussion.

This has to be one of the more valuable records I own; you can see why these Mercury label records are desirable. It's a gorgeous full-color gate-fold jacket with detailed liner notes and illustrations detailing the orchestra's set up during recording and now, 60 years later, the record still sounds amazing.