Eddie Palmieri - The History Of '2018

Tracks list

Eddie Palmieri is one of the foremost Latin jazz pianists, blessed with a
technique that fuses such ubiquitous jazz influences as the styles of Herbie
Hancock, Thelonious Monk, and McCoy Tyner into a Latin context. No purist, he
has also shown a welcome willingness to experiment with fusions of Latin and
non-Latin music.

Like his older brother Charlie, Eddie started playing at an early age (eight)
and studied classical piano while also playing drums. He made his professional
debut with Johnny Seguis Orchestra in 1955 and eventually joined Tito Rodriguezs
popular band in 1958-1960. In 1961, Palmieri formed his highly influential band
La Perfecta, whose flute and twin- or triple-trombone front line made American
jazz musicians like Herbie Mann take notice; he also scored heavily in an
excellent 1966 collaboration with Cal Tjader, El Sonido Nuevo (Verve).

After La Perfecta split up in 1968 due to financial problems, Palmieri played
with the Tico and Fania All-Stars, recorded with Alfredo Chocolat Armenteros,
Cachao, and Justo Betancourt, and, like his brother, cut some Latin boogaloo
sessions. Around the mid-60s, Palmieri began formal studies of arranging, and
the Monk influence became more pronounced in his piano work. While recording for
the Latin Coco label in the mid-70s, Palmieri started to mix salsa with R&B,
pop, rock, Spanish vocals, and jazz improvisation. Brief affiliations with
Columbia in the late 70s and Capitol (in league with David Sanborn) in the late
80s failed to produce a breakthrough hit, though the latter attempt was aimed
squarely at the burgeoning jazz-lite market.

During the 90s, Palmieri remained a critical favorite for albums like 1993s
jazz-oriented Palmas (1993) for the normally classical Nonesuch label, as well
as a series of recordings for the RMM label. He returned to his La Perfecta days
in April 2002 with La Perfecta II on the Concord Jazz label. Two more albums for
Concord followed, Ritmo Caliente in 2003 and Listen Here! in 2005. A year later,
he recorded the album Simpático co-billed with Brian Lynch, and in 2011 he
teamed with brother Charlie for the aptly titled Salsa Brothers. In 2017,
Palmieri celebrated his 80th birthday and 60-year career with the release of
Sabiduria/Wisdom. Joining him on the album were such luminaries as Obed
Calvaire, Marcus Miller, Bernard Purdie, Donald Harrison, and others. ~ Richard
S. Ginell

Tracklist:
01. Eddie Palmieri - Cafe
02. Eddie Palmieri - Bilongo
03. Eddie Palmieri - Cuidate Compay
04. Eddie Palmieri - Sujetate la Lengua
05. Eddie Palmieri - Conmigo
06. Eddie Palmieri - Tirandote Flores
07. Eddie Palmieri - Lazaro y Su Microfono
08. Eddie Palmieri - Justicia
09. Eddie Palmieri - Bomba del Corazon
10. Eddie Palmieri - Viejo Socarron

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