Eddie Palmieri’s La Perfecta

Date of foundation: 1961
Place of foundation: New York, US
Formed by: Eddie Palmieri

Eddie Palmieri’s La Perfecta made a unique sound and style by replacing the conjunto's traditional trumpet line with trombones.  Their first album “La Perfecta” was a tremendous hit from the first moment.

"La Perfecta had a big sound, an influential sound," Andy Gonzalez recalls. "I thought they were the best band on the scene."

Eddie also included a touch of jazz in their recordings. In 1968 they disbanded the group due to financial difficulties. But their trombone-based sound continued to live on, and was later adopted by Willie Colón among others.

Members of La Perfecta:
•    Eddie Palmieri (piano)
•    Ismael Quintana (vocals)
•    George Castro (flute)
•    Willie Matos, Joe DeMare, Al DiRisi, Harold Wegbreit, Dave Tucker (trumpet)
•    Joao Donato, Barry Rogers (trombone)
•    Joe Rivera (bass instrument)
•    Mike Collazo, Chickie Perez, George Maysonet, Manny Oquendo, Charlie Palmieri (percussion).

Discography:
1962    La Perfecta
1963    El Molestoso
1964    Lo Que Traigo Es Sabroso
1965    Mozambique
 

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.