Eddie Palmieri

Name at birth:      Eddie Palmieri
Date of birth:     15 December 1936
Place of birth:     New York (U.S.)
 

Puerto Rican pianist, bandleader and musician. Eddie Palmieri’s unique style of combining the jazz piano and Latin rhythms has made him world famous and has led to him being awared 9 Grammy’s until now.

Palmieri’s  parents emigrated to New York from Ponce, Puerto Rico in 1926. Eddie started to play the piano at the age of 8, and not long after started to tour the many talent contests oranised in the state of New York, together with his brother, Charlie Palmieri.
At the age of 11 he was already a name, playing at Carnegie Hall.

1950    He founded his first band
1961    His first recordings: formed the band ”Conjunto La Perfecta” with Barry Rogers and Ismael Quintana
1968    La Perfecta broke up due to financial distress
1971    Recording „Vamonos pa’l Monte” a co-production with his brother, Charlie
1974    Eddie won the first Grammy Award for „Best Latin Recording”
1979    Amandla Festival with Bob Marley, Patti Labelle, Dick Gregory
1985    ”Palo Pa Rumba” won a Grammy Award
1986    ”Solito” album won Grammy Award

Nowadays Eddie is still actively involved with music. He formed the ensemble ”La perfecta II” and recorded the acclaimed Ritmo Caliente in 2003.

Discography:

1962    La Perfecta
1963    El Molestoso
1964    Lo Que Traigo Es Sabroso
1964    Echando Pa’lante (Straight Ahead)
1965    Azucar Pa’ti (Sugar for You)
1965    Mozambique
1966    El Sonido Nuevo: The New Soul Sound (with Cal Tjader)
1967    Bamboleate (with Cal Tjader)
1967    Molasses
1968    Champagne
1969    Justicia
1970    Superimposition
1970    Vamonos Pa’l Monte
1970    Live at the University of Puerto Rico
1971    Harlem River Drive (as part of Harlem River Drive band)
1972    Recorded Live at Sing Sing, Vol. 1
1972    Recorded Live at Sing Sing, Vol. 2
1973    Sentido
1973    The Sun Of Latin Music
1973    The Sun Of Latin Music (expanded to 2 CDs)
1974    Unfinished Masterpiece
1978    Lucumi, Macumba, Voodoo
1982    Eddie Palmieri
1984    Palo Pa Rumba
1985    Solito
1987    The Truth, La Verdad, 1987
1992    Sueno
1992    LLego La India via Eddie Palmieri (with La India)
1994    Palmas
1995    Arete
1996    Vortex
1998    El Rumbero Del Piano
1999    Live
2000    Masterpiece/Obra Maestra (with Tito Puente)
2002    En Vivo Italia
2002    La Perfecta II
2003    Ritmo Caliente
2004    La Experiencia
2005    Listen Here!
2006    The Brian Lych/Eddie Palmieri Project: Simpático

 

by Zsuzsa Melkvi
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About the Author: Zsuzsa Melkvi is a salsa dancer and teacher, having competed in Latin-American and Standard dances from 1995-1998. She is also the founder of Baila Cuba (www.bailacuba.hu), a Dance company focused on giving exclusively pure Afro-Cuban workshops in Hungary. Zsuzsa holds a BA degree in Economics from the University of Hertfordshire.