Eddie Palmieri

Eddie Palmieri is an American Latin jazz pianist and bandleader who has recorded almost 50 albums since his debut in 1962 with six placing on Billboard's Jazz Albums Chart. He has performed around the world and his recordings have earned him 14 Grammy Award nominations with eight wins. Born in The Bronx, New York, on December 15, 1936, he followed in his older brother Charlie's footsteps in forming Latin jazz bands such as La Perfecta and La Perfecta II. His bands were notable for their unconventional front line, which featured trombones rather than trumpets. He went on to further innovation with Harlem River Drive in which he blended black and Latin influences into a mix of jazz, salsa, funk and soul. He made his recording debut with La Perfecta in 1962 followed by several releases until in 1975 with Sun of Latin Music, he became the first winner of the Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording. He won the same award for Unfinished Masterpiece in 1975 and was again nominated in 1978 for Lucumi, Macumba, Voodoo and in 1981 for Eddie Palmieri. His 1984 album Palo Pa Rumba won the Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Performance as did Solito (1985) which went to number 22 on Billboard's Tropical Albums Chart and La Verdad - The Truth (1987) which peaked at number 12. Sueño (1989) reached number 18 on the Tropical Chart, Palmas (1994) went to number 44 on Billboard's Jazz Albums Chart, Obra Maestra (2000), with Tito Puente, won the Grammy as Best Salsa Album, peaked at number five on the Tropical Chart and number seven on the Top Latin Albums Chart. Ritmo Caliente (2003) also peaked at number five on the Tropical Chart and went to number 44 on the Jazz Chart. He won the Latin Jazz Album Grammy in 2005 for Listen Here! which reached number 24 on the Jazz Chart and again in 2006 for Simpático with Brian Lynch. A Man and His Music: The Son of Latin Music (2008) peaked at number 50 on the Jazz Chart and the documentary soundtrack EP Eddie Pamieri Is Doin' It in the Park (2014) went to number 17. He marked the golden anniversary of the release of La Perfecta in 2011 and in 2017, when he was 80, he went back into the studio to record the album Sabiduría. In 2018 he released Full Circle which went to number 19 on the Jazz Chart, followed the same year by Mi Luz Mayor, with guests Gilberto Santa Rosa, Herman Olivera, and Carlos Santana. Recipient of many international music honours, Eddie Palmieri died in Hackensack, New Jersey, on August 6, 2025, at the age of 88.