Eddie Palmieri, the legendary Latin jazz pianist and bandleader, has passed away. The New York Times reports that Palmieri died at home in Hackensack, New Jersey on Wednesday. His daughter Gabriela says that he'd been suffering from "a long illness." Palmieri was 88.
Eduardo Palmeri's parents both came from Puerto Rico, but Eddie and his older brother Charli, another hugely important musician, were born in the Bronx. Eddie and Charlie were both piano prodigies, and Eddie performed at Carnegie Hall at the age of 11. As a teenager, Eddie played in a number of different bands, including Tito Rodriguez's orchestra, before forming his own group La Perfecta, featuring singer Ismael Quintana, in 1961. Their music drew on the mambo that was popular in New York clubs at the time, but they pushed that sound into heavier, more intense realms, taking influence from jazz and Cuban music. In the process, they helped to set the stage for salsa music.
When salsa music took shape, Eddie Palieri was an important force in the genre, though he always preferred to call it Afro-Caribbean music. In 1971, he released his album Vamonos Pa'l Monte and started the fusion band Harlem River Drive. In 1975, Palmieri won the first-ever Best Latin Recording Grammy for his album The Sun Of Latin Music. Later in the '70s, he spent years on the run from the IRS, refusing to pay taxes as a matter of principle. As he moved into the elder statesman phase of his career, Palmieri always carried himself as a representative of Nuyorkican culture, and he brought a wild theatrical presence to the stage. In 2016, Palmieri showed another side of his artistry in a great Tiny Desk Concert for NPR, playing thoughtful and beautiful music entirely solo. He released his final album Mi Luz Mayor in 2018.
Below, check out some of Palmieri's work.
