Don Swan born 28 June 1904

Wilbur Clyde Schwandt (June 28, 1904 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin – July 23, 1998 in Miami, Florida) was an American musician, author, composer and conductor, best known for his song "Dream a Little Dream of Me" with Fabian Andre. He frequently used the stage name Don Swan and released Latin jazz albums in the 1950s and 1960s.

Born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, he studied composition at the University of Chicago under teachers with formidable names like Sigvart Holland and Emil Soderstrom. He became an arranger for various big bands, even working with comedian Bob Hope's touring show. In 1940, he was hired as an arranger for Xavier Cugat's orchestra, a post he would hold off and on for the next 20 years.

Don Swan's toe-tickling products for the Cugat Orchestra of the pre-war years were largely responsible for the group's success in making the United States "Latin conscious" during that period. Don's arrangement of "Tico-Tico" for Xavier Cugat gave Cugat one of his all-time best record sellers. Swan's resulting experience and familiarity with Latin music helped put his services in great demand -- not only as an arranger, but also as a composer, for both white big bands (Skinnay Ennis, Freddy Martin) and Latin dance orchestras (Perez Prado, Desi Arnaz).

                      Here's "Ain't She Sweet" from above LP

                             

Swan signed to Liberty Records as a recording artist circa 1956-1957, and recorded a string of five Latin lounge LPs, beginning with Mucho Cha Cha Cha. Subsequent LPs like All This and Cha Cha Too, Hot Cha Cha, and two volumes of Latino! found Swan heading up all-star groups of West Coast session men, walking the line between Latin jazz and exotic gimmickry. 

The success of his albums allowed Swan to form a touring group, and he played extensively in New York and Las Vegas performing in leading night clubs and making numerous television appearances. Don often spent a few months each year in Miami or Havana in order to keep his finger on the constant pulse of Latin rhythms.

He also wrote a number of instructional books, including Cha Cha for the Hammond and Tango for the Spinet, before retiring in the mid-1960s.He eventually moved to Miami,Florida, where he died on July 23, 1998, at the ripe old age of 94. 

(Scarce information edited from AllMusic SpaceAgePoP & 317x.com) (There are very few photos of Don on the web. They were all supposed to be Don Swan, but I have my doubts.  Hopefully some of you eagle eyed music lovers will let me know if the first portrait is wrong.)