Eddie Palmieri and La Perfecta – A Giant in the Latin Music

Eddie Palmieri is one of the most controversial characters in the world of Salsa and Latin Jazz. And this is the point, is it Salsa or Latin Jazz? Is it something else or a bit of both?  Personally, I wouldn’t categorize him this way.  To me, he and his bands (he directed various bands) are just bands to make you dance and swing.  He even managed to mix John Sebastian Bach and Bata Drums…in the same track. Here’s the story…

Eduardo Palmieri, 15 December 1936, South Bronx, New York, USA, of Puerto Rican parentage.
The pioneer of contemporary Salsa, pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger, producer, Palmieri began playing the piano at the age of eight. Eddie also played timbales, and wanted to specialize in the instrument, but changed his mind after several gigs with his uncle’s group. Some will say his mother didn’t want him to play drums but piano, something more sophisticated according to her.
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Within the framework of Latin music, Palmieri initiated a unique approach to the genre characterized by free improvisation and experimentation.  While attending Public School Number 52 in the Bronx, 14-year-old Palmieri formed a group with timbales player Orlando MarÌn, which included vocalist/percussionist Joe Quijano (who is himself worth a complete article).
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Eddie left in 1955 to turn professional as a member of Johnny SeguÌ’s orchestra, and the group became the Orlando MarÌn Conjunto.  However, his over-zealousness resulted in his dismissal. ‘The club said I broke the piano, hitting the keys too hard.  SeguÌ told me, either you go or the band goes, so see you later’.  He then replaced brother Charlie as pianist with the band of ex- Tito Puente lead singer, Vicentico Valdès, before joining Tito RodrÌguez ’s big band from 1958-60.  Eddie had great respect for RodrÌguez: ‘He was just an incredible artist, a great vocalist . . . He was the most wonderful person you could imagine, except when he got on the bandstand. Then he became like a Jekyll and Hyde. That’s the way he had to be – because of the excellence he demanded.  He was sadistic – no emotion, no nothing‘ (quoted by John Ortiz).
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In the liner notes to Eddie’s first album, Charlie Palmieri describes his brother as a ‘nut’ for leaving the financial security of RodrÌguez’s successful band.  Palmieri subsequently played weddings, funerals and local dances before forming La Perfecta in 1961.  The line-up included Johnny Pacheco and Barry Rogers (trombonist/arranger).

Palmieri and Rogers developed a two trombone and flute frontline for Conjunto La Perfecta, which Charlie dubbed a ‘trombonga‘ referring to the term “charanga” using violines instead of trombones.  They became one of Latin New York’s busiest bands and signed with Al Santiago ’s Alegre label, who produced their debut Eddie Palmieri And His Conjunto La Perfecta in 1962.
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In addition to Rogers, other key founder members of La Perfecta on the album were: Ismael ‘Pat’ Quintana (lead vocals), Manny Oquendo (timbales, see Conjunto Libre ) and George Castro (flute).
In 1963, Brazilian trombonist Jose Rodrigues joined La Perfecta; he became a regular Palmieri accompanist into the 80s and a busy session musician.

Eddie and the band released a further two volumes on Alegre before switching to Tico Records in 1964 for Echando Pa’lante (Straight Ahead).  La Perfecta’s seminal mid-60s trombanga line-up included  Rogers and Rodrigues (trombones), Castro (flute), Oquendo (timbales/bongo), Tommy Lôpez (conga), Dave PÈrez (bass), Palmieri (piano), Quintana (vocals).

Pèrez was an ex-member of Johnny Pacheco’s charanga and later worked with Ray Barretto and TÌpica 73.  Eddie released a further five albums with La Perfecta, including two with latin jazz vibraphonist Cal Tjader, before the band fell apart in 1968.
Referring to some personnel issues, ‘I just wasn’t taking care of business- problems with money, cancelling gigs. Just getting there was all I could manage – just get there and bring some money home to eat. That’s about what it came down to.‘ However, the band’s legacy of recorded work provides ample testimony of what a brilliant, ferociously swinging outfit they were.

In 1966, Eddie participated in the Tico All-Stars’ descargas recorded at New York’s Village Gate and guested on the Fania All-Stars’ debut album in 1968.  After the break-up of La Perfecta, Palmieri used a variety of front-line instrumentation on his albums.  The first, Champagne in 1968, featured the trumpet of Alfredo ‘Chocolate’ Armenteros and Rogers on trombone, together with bassist Israel Cachao’ Lopez.  It contained boogaloo material, the R&B/latin fusion style that was in vogue at the time.  Palmieri later described boogaloo as embarrassing, and blamed its emergence on what he perceived as a decline in Latin music’s creativity, caused by the isolation of Cuba from the USA.
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Palmieri took up the issue of economic and social injustice in the USA on 1969’s Justicia.  He was joined on this album by young timbales player Nicky Marrero, who became a regular accompanist until the mid-70s.  Marrero later joined the Fania All-Stars and TÌpica 73, and worked extensively as a session musician.

Eddie & Charlie Palmieri . OYE LO QUE TE CONVIENE -GUAGUANCO

Ismael, “Pat” Quintana Vocals, Eddie Resto bass, Larry Moses trompet, Nicky Marrero bell, Charlie Santiago congas, Charlie Cotto timbales, Larry Purcell sax, Charlie and Eddie Palmieri pianos, Jose Rodrigues trombone, Victor Paz trompet.

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Cuban Justo Betancourt sang in the chorus on Justicia and Eddie’s next release Superimposition (1969), which contained a whole side of experimental instrumentals.  Bassist Andy Gonzalez, a member of Ray Barretto’s band at the time, performed on this album; he eventually joined Palmieri’s band in 1971, then split in 1974 to co-found Conjunto Libre with Manny Oquendo.  Eddie added the saxophone of Ronnie Cuber to his horn section on Vamonos Pa’l Monte in c.1971.  Brother Charlie was invited to play organ on this album and Eddie’s other 1971 recordings, which were issued between 1971 and 1974.  These included Eddie’s latin and R&B fusion experiments with the black group Harlem River Drive, and concerts at Sing Sing prison and the University of Puerto Rico.  Palmieri signed with ex-bandleader Harvey Averne’s Coco Records, and debuted on the label with 1973’s Sentido.

Quintana left to pursue a solo career and was replaced by 16-year-old Lalo Rodriguez on Sun Of Latin Music in 1974.  In 1976, the album won the first ever Grammy Award in the newly created Latin record category. His next Coco release, 1976’s Unfinished Masterpiece, which he did not want issued, took him back to Grammy land. Young Cuban violinist Alfredo de la Fé appeared on both albums.  Eddie’s subsequent five new releases between 1978-87 all received Grammy nominations.

After a break from recording due to contractual wrangles, Eddie made Lucumi Macumba Voodoo for the major record company Epic in 1978, which took the African-derived religions of Cuba, Brazil and Haiti as its theme.  The record flopped both in and outside the Latin market.  Palmieri later expressed disappointment about his experience with the label.  He also regretted unwittingly joining the Fania Records empire.

La Verdad/The Truth won him a fifth Grammy Award, and featured late 80s/early 90s hit-maker Tony Vega on lead vocals.  1981’s Eddie Palmieri was Barry Rogers’ last appearance on record with Eddie – he played all trombone parts and solos – and marked the one-off return of Ismael Quintana, who sang lead on two tracks.  Eddie relocated to Puerto Rico in 1983, but lack of regular work due to rejection by many promoters and musicians, caused him to return to New York in frustration.  He made his only UK appearance to date in 1986. Palmieri signed with another major company, Capitol Records, for the disappointing Sueño in 1989. It contained four remakes of previous hits and featured jazz-fusion alto-saxophonist David Sanborn.

For the record only, Palmieri has been touring throughout Europe this Spring. He has been accompanied by his son and grandson: a family business.  Although some dates have been cancelled to the disappointment of most of us, the tour proved to be a great success.  Eddie is today’s most energic pianist in the world of Latin Music and still rocking !!!!!