Eddie Palmieri, Grammy-winning Latin jazz pioneer, dies at 88
Eddie Palmieri, a groundbreaking figure in rumba and Latin jazz, has died at age 88. His passing was announced Wednesday evening by Fania Records. According to his daughter Gabriela, Palmieri died earlier that day at his New Jersey home after an extended illness.
Palmieri was a pianist, composer, and bandleader known for his innovative approach to Latin music. He was the first Latino to win a Grammy Award and went on to receive seven more throughout a career that spanned nearly 40 albums. Born in New York’s Spanish Harlem in 1936, Palmieri began piano lessons early but briefly pursued percussion before returning to the keyboard. “I’m a frustrated percussionist, so I take it out on the piano,” he once explained.
His first Grammy came in 1975 for the album “The Sun of Latin Music,” which was the first Latin production to win the award. Throughout his career, Palmieri fused salsa, funk, soul, and jazz into a distinctive sound that challenged expectations. He formed the influential band La Perfecta in 1961, notable for pioneering a trombone section rather than trumpets, creating a unique Latin jazz sound that stood alongside orchestras like Machito and Tito Rodríguez.
Palmieri’s discography includes classics like “Vámonos pa’l monte” (1971), “Harlem River Drive” (1971), and “Masterpiece” (2000), a collaboration with Tito Puente that won two Grammys. He helped launch the careers of salsa singers Tony Vega and La India and collaborated with many prominent musicians such as Nicky Marrero, Cachao López, and Bobby Valentín.
Recognized beyond the music world, Palmieri was honored with the Chubb Fellowship Award from Yale University in 2002 for his community-building work through music. The Smithsonian Institution recorded his concerts for the National Museum of American History, further cementing his legacy. Even in his later years, Palmieri continued to perform and innovate, sharing Latin jazz globally and adapting to modern platforms like livestreams during the pandemic.
His career not only transformed Latin music but also served as a cultural bridge worldwide, inspiring generations with his relentless creativity and passion.
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