December 15, 1936 – August 6, 2025

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Pianist-bandleader Eddie Palmieri passed away on Aug. 6 2025 at the age of 88.

He was born on Dec. 15, 1936 in New York City and, when he was eight, he often participated in talent contest with his older brother pianist Charlie Palmieri who was nine years older.

Palmieri performed at Carnegie Hall when he was 11, joined his uncle’s group on timbales when he was 13, led his first band in 1951 when he was 14, worked with Tito Rodriguez (1958-60), and freelanced.

In 1961 he formed the band Conjunto La Pefecta, utilizing trombones (including Barry Rogers) instead of violins or trumpets which gave him his own sound; the group lasted until 1968.

A major arranger who avoided the predictable, Palmieri helped pave the way towards the 1970s popularity of salsa while never discarding his roots in jazz.

Rather than just playing the rhythm patterns typically used by pianists in Afro-Cuban bands, Palmieri was influenced by McCoy Tyner, and Thelonious Monk, and played occasional outbursts a la Cecil Taylor.

He led a series of influential groups in his career including big bands, spent much of 1980s in Porto Rico and re-emerged in 1994 in the Latin jazz world, utilizing trumpeter Brian Lynch and altoist Donald Harrison in his band.

In his last years, Palmieri continued performing with a Latin jazz octet, a revival of his La Perfecta band, and a salsa orchestra.

From 1989, Eddie Palmieri performs “La Libertad” and “Comparsa” with an 11-piece group that includes Brian Lynch and Charlie Sepulveda on trumpets, bassist Andy Gonzalez, violin, tres, and five percussionists including Giovanni Hidalgo and Franciscco Aguabella who trade off on congas.

-Scott Yanow

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