Music Legend Eddie Palmieri Has Died

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Eddie Palmieri, a pioneering musician in rumba and Latin jazz, has died.

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Palmieri’s daughter Gabriela told The New York Times that her father passed away Wednesday at his New Jersey home after “an extended illness.” He was 88.

Fania Records also confirmed Palmieri’s death.

“Today, Fania Records mourns the loss of the legendary Eddie Palmieri, one of the most innovative and unique artists in music history,” the company wrote on X alongside a snapshot of the artist performing.

Eddie Palmieri was a pianist, composer, director, arranger, and producer. Raised in Spanish Harlem, New York, he was inspired by a musical family and the city’s jazz scene, starting his career playing drums in his uncle’s orchestra.

Eddie Palmieri Fused Afro-Caribbean Rhythms with Jazz

Inspired by his Puerto Rican heritage, Palmieri crafted a distinctive style that fused Afro-Caribbean rhythms with the rich improvisation of jazz. He went on to establish iconic groups like La Perfecta, La Perfecta II, and Harlem River Drive, pushing the boundaries of salsa and reinventing the big band sound of his era through groundbreaking collaborations with fellow musicians.

Eddie Pamieri performing in 2016. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)

In 1975, Palmieri became the first to win the Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording with his album The Sun of Latin Music. Over his career, he won eight Grammy Awards, including for albums like Masterpiece, Solito, and Palo Pa’ Rumba, highlighting his talent and impact on Latin music.

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Eddie Palmieri poses with his Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2001. He won for “Masterpiece/Obra Maestra,” a collaboration with the late Tito Puente. (Photo by VINCE BUCCI/AFP via Getty Images)

“Over the course of his seven-decade-long career, Eddie recorded for labels such as Tico, Alegre, Fania, Concord Picante, RMM, and Coco Records, leaving an indelible mark on over four dozen albums,” Fania wrote in a statement. “He will be greatly missed,” the statement concluded.

Five children and four grandchildren survive Palmieri. His wife, Iraida Palmieri, predeceased him in 2014.


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