Mr. Cha Cha Cha

If you have kids, you're probably familiar with Mr. Choo Choo.  As adults in the early 50's, Mr. Cha Cha Cha arrived on the scene.

Rene Touzet hailed from Cuba.  After moving to the USA in 1944, he had gigs with Desi Arnaz, Xavier Cugat and Stan Kenton.

Rene Touzet - Mr. Cha Cha Cha (GNP 1958)

I dig the drawings of the instruments.

This record came from the vast father in law collection.  He let me have them with the caveat that he could make requests when he came over  - which meant I had to catalog them and know where they were at the drop of a hat.    Many of them later ended up in a big ol' box.  When moving some things around, I came across this one.  I'm playing it as I type.

According to Wikipedia (so it's gotta be true), Touzet's arrangement for El Loco Cha Cha originated the riff which would later be used for Louie Louie.   So he might be one of the contenders to the title Mr. Rock and Roll.