Remembering Jazz Pianist Eddie Palmieri, A Nuyorican Original

Summary

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Episode Overview

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Host: Alison Stewart
Episode Title: Remembering Jazz Pianist Eddie Palmieri, A Nuyorican Original
Air Date: August 28, 2025
Featured Guest: Ed Morales (Author and Journalist)

This episode of All Of It commemorates the life and legacy of Eddie Palmieri, the influential Nuyorican jazz pianist, bandleader, and Latin music innovator who passed away at 88. Palmieri’s impact as a pioneer of Afro-Cuban rhythms, Latin jazz, and as a voice for social justice within music is explored. The conversation delves into his roots, his creative innovations, connections to New York’s musical landscape, and his enduring socio-cultural relevance.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Eddie Palmieri’s Nuyorican Identity and Cultural Influence

• Nuyorican Roots:

  • Born in Spanish Harlem to Puerto Rican parents; grew up in the Bronx.
  • Helped cultivate a hybrid, bilingual culture unique to New York’s Puerto Rican diaspora.
  • “[Palmieri] never really wanted to be confined to one label or be put in a box… that’s how he represented being Nuyorican.” - Ed Morales [02:12]

• Musical Neighborhood:

  • Grew up amidst influential Latin musicians, absorbing a diversity of cultural and musical influences, including big band jazz and mambo.
  • The social milieu of the Bronx in the 40s and 50s, and proximity to landmarks like the Palladium, shaped his musical direction.

• Quote:

  • “All the influences that you get from growing up in New York, like listening to jazz music regularly, being able to go see jazz music, and also participating in the development of Latin music…”
    — Ed Morales [03:01]

2. Innovation with La Perfecta and the Signature Sound

• La Perfecta Line-Up:

  • Key members: Vocalist Ismael Miranda, and the distinctive dual trombones of Barry Rodgers and Jose Rodriguez.
  • The trombone-driven sound set Palmieri apart from other Latin bands, creating a grittier, New York attitude.

• Rejecting the ‘Salsa’ Label:

  • Palmieri disliked being placed under the broad category of “salsa,” as he believed his music had a uniquely Nuyorican evolution.

• Significance of “Asukar” and the Sugar Metaphor:

  • “Asukar” (Sugar) reflects both celebratory and somber references—joy in music/dance, and a reminder of colonial exploitation in the Caribbean sugar trade.
  • “It’s something to celebrate, but it’s also a reminder of... the years of exploitation of African people who were brought to the Caribbean.”
    — Ed Morales [07:09]

3. Personal & Community Reflections

• Caller Veronica’s Story:

  • Palmieri’s music as everyday family life for NYC Puerto Ricans—songs like “Café” and “Lindo Yambú” as a soundtrack to growing up.
  • Only later, with maturity, did the innovation and meaning of his work stand out.
  • “It was just, like, music my dad listened to for a really, really long time... What a pleasure it was to grow up alongside this and almost be able to take it for granted.” — Veronica [09:04]

• Complexity & Depth:

  • Salsa considered party music by some, but Palmieri pushed for innovation and deeper rhythmic complexity, blending in social justice themes and experimenting far beyond genre boundaries.
  • Albums like Justicia and Harlem River Drive wove R&B, English and Spanish lyrics, and political consciousness into Latin music.
  • “[Eddie] refused to go along with the conventional nature of salsa… also incorporated a lot of R&B, used a lot of English as well as Spanish.” — Ed Morales [09:52]

4. Relationship to Latin Jazz Greats

• Legacy Among Peers:

  • Palmieri considered a younger peer of mambo legends Tito Puente, Machito, and Tito Rodriguez.
  • He was forged in the competitive, collaborative spirit of the Palladium Ballroom era.
  • His older brother, Charlie Palmieri, was an immense influence.

• Engagement with Dancers:

  • Palmieri emphasized a dynamic exchange between orchestra and the dance floor, a hallmark inherited from the mambo big bands.

5. National Pride and Political Consciousness

• Thematic Songs:

  • “Puerto Rico” lauded as a moving tribute expressing earnest national pride and connection to the homeland.
  • “[It] fills me with enormous pride… because it’s a tribute to the island.” — Ed Morales [13:59]

• Social Justice Activism:

  • Nicknamed “eccentric,” Palmieri was staunchly engaged with social issues, often performing at protest events and prisons such as Sing Sing (post-Attica).
  • “He’s really a true organic intellectual who really, you know, thought of his role as more than just being a musician.” — Ed Morales [17:49]

6. Experimentation and Underrated Works

• Embrace of Counterculture:

  • In the late 60s and early 70s, Palmieri fused genres (e.g., Harlem River Drive), collaborated with diverse artists, and performed alongside figures like Bob Marley and Patti LaBelle.
  • Albums often drew from Afro-Caribbean religious traditions (e.g., Lukumi, Makumba, Voodoo with Cal Tjader).

• Notable Story:

  • The Mozambique controversy—misunderstood politically by anti-Castro groups, when Palmieri was referencing a Cuban rhythm, not politics.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On defying categories:
  • “Eddie never really wanted to be confined to one label or be put in a box like people say. So I think that’s how he represented being Nuyorican.” — Ed Morales [02:12]
• On the layered meaning of ‘Asukar’:
  • “It’s at the same time… something to celebrate, but it’s also a reminder of the years of exploitation of African people who were brought to the Caribbean.” — Ed Morales [07:09]
• On musical activism:
  • “He’s really a true organic intellectual who really… thought of his role as more than just being a musician.” — Ed Morales [17:49]
• Personal audience impact:
  • “I had the pleasure of seeing Eddie live a few times and it was unreal. I consider him the GOAT. A visionary, an innovator.” — Listener Text [12:34]
• On genre-busting performances:
  • “I went to see Eddie Palmieri at Harvard Stadium with Bob Marley and Patti LaBelle. And I don’t think that there’s a lot of salsa players who would do that kind of show.” — Ed Morales [16:09]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00] Introduction and Eddie Palmieri’s legacy
• [02:12] Nuyorican identity and its influence on Palmieri’s music
• [04:47] La Perfecta band, the trombone revolution, and salsa’s New York character
• [07:09] Deeper meaning in “Asukar” and Afro-Caribbean roots
• [09:04] Caller Veronica shares Palmieri’s music as a soundtrack to Puerto Rican family life
• [09:52] Palmieri’s push for complexity; music as social commentary
• [12:55] Relationship among Palmieri, Tito Puente, and Machito
• [13:59] National pride in “Puerto Rico”
• [16:09] Palmieri’s reputation, counterculture engagement, and crossover performances
• [17:49] Social justice activism and Sing Sing prison performance
• [19:14] Palmieri’s overlooked albums and controversy around the “Mozambique” rhythm

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Recommendations & Final Thoughts

• Essential Listening:

  • Classic tracks with La Perfecta, the Harlem River Drive album, and experimental works with Cal Tjader such as Lukumi, Makumba, Voodoo.

• Underrated Suggestions:

  • Explore his lesser-known collaborations and projects steeped in Afro-Caribbean spirituality.

• Palmieri’s Enduring Legacy:

  • Eddie Palmieri stands out as an ever-experimental, boundary-defying musician whose music both celebrated and challenged, blending joy, resistance, tradition, and innovation in the distinct context of New York’s Nuyorican experience.

Transcript

[A]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Let's celebrate. Eddie Palmieri. Pianist and band leader Eddie Palmieri died this month at his home in Hackensack, New Jersey. He was 88 years old. Palmieri was the first Latino artist to win a Grammy Award. But he was much more than the awards and accolades. Palmieri was an innovator of Latin jazz and Afro Cuban rhythms. He was a proud new eurekan, born to Puerto Rican parents in the 1930s and raised in the Bronx. Throughout his career, Palmieri also spoke out with his music. He performed at Sing Sing Prison months after the Attica prison disaster, and recorded numerous songs, speaking out against injustice and inequal. You can hear his music and see him in the latest film appearance in the new Spike Leap movie, Highest to Lowest. Ed Morales is an author and journalist. He recently wrote an article for the New York Times called Eddie Palmieri's thirteen Essential Songs and Albums. If you want to read more of Ed's work, his book Fantasy Colonialism, Exploitation and the Betrayal of Puerto Rico is out in paperback in October. Ed, welcome to all of it.

[B]

Hi. Thanks for inviting me.

[A]

So glad to hear from you. So you wrote in the Times that Eddie Palmieri was a Nuyorican original. What do you think makes Palmieri represent the Nuyorican experience?

[B]

Well, he's a little bit older than, you know, what I would call the main age group of Nuyoricans. But what he did was he was born and raised in New York and he helped to develop this hybrid culture that Nuyoricans have, which is bilingual and takes in influences from not only the island, but other islands in Puerto Rico and, of course, the United States. And Eddie never really wanted to be confined to one label or be put in a box like people say. So I think that's how he represented being Nuyorican.

[A]

Yeah, he was born in Spanish Harlem to Puerto Rican parents, but he grew up in the Bronx in the 40s and the 50s. How did that shape his music?

[B]

Well, you know, moving to the Bronx is a big step up at the time, you know, he moved into a neighborhood in the South Bronx near the Westchester Avenue, you know, where the 2 and 5 train stops. And there were many other musicians that were integral to the development of Latin music at the time who lived in that, in that area. So not only that, but, you know, all the influences that you get from growing up in New York, like listening to jazz music regularly, being able to go see jazz music, and also participating in the development of Latin Music at the time. You know, his first work was with these arguses affiliated with the Palladium, which was Mambo was the predominant genre. It was very mainstream. And so he just, he had these sort of values of the big band orchestra, which you wouldn't necessarily have if you grew up in Puerto Rico.

[A]

Listeners, we want to get you in on this conversation. Are you a fan of Eddie Palmieri and his music? What is your favorite song? How did you react to the news of his passing? Call or text us now at 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. What did Eddie Palmieri, what did he mean to you? Give us a call. 212-4339-696922-12433. W n y C I'm speaking with author and journalist Ed Morales of the life and music of the late Eddie Palmieri. All right. In the early 60s he performed with a band called La Perfecta. Who was in it? How many members made up the band?

[B]

I think it was a, it was a septet. I don't remember exactly how many members it had. But you know, the, the main aspects of the band was Sismal Miranda on vocals and then the, the two trombone attack of Barry Rodgers and Jose Rodriguez, which was key because one of the things that distinguished, you know, the thing about salsa is that it's definitely derived from Afro Cuban music, but there's been a long argument about whether it's just a copy of Cuban music or whether something about it that's Nyrican. And so what Eddie Palmieri did was by incorporating these trombones, he gave the music as it was evolving, it wasn't known as salsa yet. And Eddie Palmieri himself did not really like the terminology of salsa. He gave it a distinctive sound that reflected the attitude of New York because a lot of the Cuban music can sound kind of polite for polite, you know, ballroom dancing.

[A]

Let's listen to a song from La Perfecta and we're going to listen to about a minute and a half of Asukar. Let's listen.

[B]

Sukapami.

[A]

So Ed, what should we listening to when we're listening to that? What do we need to understand about Eddie Palmieri?

[B]

Well, he's working with this basic structure of San Montuno that comes from Afro Cuban music, which is a secularized form of Yoruban religious music that's used to call down the gods, you know, in rituals and. But you know, by the time Eddie was working with that music, it was, it was really polished by the Cuban orchestras. He's kind of introducing that. What's called a tumbao on the piano. So tumbao is a rhythmic figure that can be played on various instruments. One thing about the piano in Latin music is very important because it becomes very percussive and really reflects, you know, what the talking drums are saying, Right. So it's kind of repetitive, right? And then it goes into this long sort of looping structure, right, in which all these different instruments come in. And then there's the chorus. And then Asuka itself is. I think it's highly symbolic. Celia Cruz, as I wrote in the article, really was identified with the word later. And asukar, it means sugar. And so sugar was the principal export of Cuba, and a lot of the slave trade involved bringing people to work in sugar manufacturing. So it's at the same time, like this sweet thing that you put in your coffee, and it's something to celebrate, but it's also a reminder of, you know, the years of exploitation of African people who were brought to the Caribbean. And, you know, there were more slaves that were brought to Latin America about 20 times more than were brought. Brought to the United States.

[A]

Let's go to the phones. We have Veronica, who's actually on our Morning Edition team. She's online, and she has a family connection to Palmieri. Hey, Veronica. How are you?

[C]

Hi, Allison. I'm doing okay.

[A]

I want to hear the story.

[C]

Yeah, I mean, both of my parents are not New Yorkan, but Puerto Ricans who lived in New York for a long time. So Eddie Palmeri was kind of just on as a way of life. And I truly did not pluck it as anything special or interesting. It was just, like, music my dad listened to for a really, really, really long time. Like songs like Cafe or Lono Valmonte were just on in the speakers at home. And it wasn't until I was a little older, maybe in college, when I got to dig into kind of later Palm Area stuff like Carla River Drive or Justicia, I was like, oh, this is special and innovative. And what a pleasure it was to be able to grow up alongside this and almost be able to take it for granted for such a long stretch of my life.

[A]

Veronica, thank you for calling in. Do you want to react to Veronica Edition?

[B]

Yeah. Well, I mean, interesting that she was. You know, I mean, what's funny about the interpretation of salsa is that people can think of it as just being dance music and party music. And it's true, but it's so rhythmically complex and, you know, Eddie was the kind of person actually who really wanted to take that a lot further. And he kind of refused to go along with the conventional nature of salsa when it was exploding in the 70s and just did all these sort of experimental albums. Then also she brought up this idea of the social justice theme, which is something that he got into because Barry Rogers, who was also from the Bronx and was the trombone player who, you know, Eddie is constantly was praising. He recommended this guy named Bob Bianco who taught at the Henry George School for Social Justice. I forget what it's called, but it's sort of a progressive school in midtown Manhattan. And he got a lot of these ideas about social justice from being involved in that. So, you know, the Justicia. You know, one thing that he also did was he. He would use the social justice justice themes and incorporate a lot of R and B, like in the Harlem River Drive album. And, you know, used a lot of English as well as Spanish. Like most of the salsa players from the Nuyorican generation were English dominant speakers who sang in Spanish. But Eddie kind of stuck with a lot. Stuck with a lot of English lyrics, like later than most of them who went all Spanish, you know, by the 70s.

[A]

We'll talk more about that and we'll take more of your calls about Eddie Palmieri and his music. Do you have a favorite song? How did you react to the news of his passing? If you're a Norweican like Eddie, what does music represent to you? Our number is 212-433-92-12433. WNYC. We'll be right back. You're listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is author and journalist Ed Morales. We are talking about the life and the music of the late Eddie Palmieri, who died this month at 88 years old. I want to read a couple texts. This says, I saw Eddie Palmieri in 70s at Latin clubs in New York City. The Corso Che Jose La Mancha. Too many to mention. He always brought the house down. I will miss him. This one says, I was roommates with Eddie Palmieri's grandson and he put me onto his music. I had the pleasure of seeing Eddie live a few times and it was unreal. I consider him the Goat. A visionary, an innovator. Essential Tracks, A Resemblance, Random Thoughts and Undia Bonita RIP Eddie. And then we got this text and maybe you can answer this, Ed. It says, where does Eddie fit in with Tito Puente and Machito?

[B]

Well, he was younger than Them, and he sort of learned a lot from them. And he actually was in the Tito Rodriguez orchestra. And so there were the three. The Mambo Kings from the Palladium were Tito Puente, Machito and Tito Rodriguez. So. And his. His brother Charlie, which I haven't mentioned, was huge influence. And we'd really be speaking a lot more about Charlie if he hadn't passed away so prematurely, I think, in 1983. So he really. Actually, the thing is very important point because Eddie was really into this thing of the orchestra responding to what the dancers were doing and sort of having a conversation with the dancers and pushing them further. And then the dancers demand more from him. So that's something that I think he really picked up by his early years playing with those mambo bands that were from the Palladium.

[A]

The next song I have. Other places have lined up. That's okay. The next song I have lined up is Puerto Rico. What's important to know about the song?

[B]

Well, you know, a lot of people think that this is one of his best albums. And it's. It's, you know, it's an ambitious album that used a lot of Danson, which is this ornate waltz music from Cuba from the early 20th century. And Puerto Rico is one of his, you know, nationalistic songs. He had another song called Puerto Rico and La Perfecta Tambien also. So, I mean, I feel. I feel filled with enormous pride when I hear it, because it's a tribute to the island.

[A]

Let's listen.

[B]

Jole.

[A]

Eddie, you wrote in the Times that Palmieri embraced the counterculture of the late 60s. What was his social reputation as a musician at the time? How well known was he? How did he get involved in social justice issues?

[B]

Well, you know, he was always known as kind of, you know, this. I mean, the. The word madman has been used to describe him. And some people have described him that way, but I don't particularly like that term. But he was eccentric, and his shows. Sometimes he would show up and want to improvise and, you know, not necessarily play what people wanted to hear in terms of the counterculture, you know, the way that he stuck with. With black music and R B, with the. With the album, with Harlem River Drive, which was a real break from what was going on. Also, you know, was. Was part of his, I don't know, eccentricity, but also his, you know, demand to. To still be in touch with what was going on in American culture at the time, you know, which in the late 60s and early 70s, there was a lot of experimentation going On. And even if it's usually associated with the white counterculture, like people of color really played a lot of parts in the counterculture at that time, and Eddie was part of it. I could tell you that as a college student, like in the. In the early 80s, I went to see Eddie Palmieri at Harvard Stadium with Bob Marley and Patti LaBelle. And I don't think that there's a lot of salsa players who would do that kind of show. And he really crossed over to that audience. And it was the only time I ever saw Bob Marley. So I'll never forget that.

[A]

I wanted to ask you why it was important for Palmieri to perform at Sing Sing when he did.

[B]

Well, you know, it was important. There was a lot of that going on at the time. You know, there was actually this concert that B.B. king and Joan Baez did a little bit earlier that there was a PBS documentary about that. Also at the time, Miguel Pinero was involved in, who was a New York compose. He was involved in a prison workshop. And at the time. And that's where he wrote his play Short Eyes, which wound up having great success on Broadway. But there was, you know, and then also it was right after the Attica Rebellion, which was a very significant moment in the prison rights movement. So that really reflected a lot of what was going on at the time. You know, one thing I can also say is that right before Pablo Guzman passed away, who was a member of the Young Lords, I went to visit him in this home that he was in. And while I was there, Eddie Palmieri called in and he felt so connected to the Young Lords and social justice even then, just a couple of years ago, so. So it's kind of like in his heart and soul, he's really a true organic intellectual who really, you know, thought of his role as more than just being a musician.

[A]

If someone wants to listen to more Eddie Palmieri music, what's an underrated album you would recommend?

[B]

Probably the stuff with Cal Jader, which a lot of people don't listen to as much. And I actually like the. It's called Lukumi. Let me see if I can just look it up. It just came out in the early 80s. Lukumi, Makumba, Voodoo, which has a lot. It's very focused on, again, the Afro Caribbean religions, which he actually tried to reflect a lot in his music. The one funny thing, like when he had this album, Mozambique, and he was trying to introduce this. This Mozambique rhythm, which, you know, a lot of people don't know that there's all these different Cuban rhythms that are involved in salsa. And so he tells the story about how the the anti Castro Group Alpha 66 went after him because he had this album called Mozambique and really he was just talking about the Mozambique rhythm at the time. Cuba was involved in sending troops to different countries in Africa fighting these wars and that's the reason they got angry with him. But it had nothing to do with the politics of Mozambique at the time.

[A]

Ed Morales is an author and a journalist. Thank you so much for celebrating the life and the music of the late Eddie Palmieri.

[B]

Thanks. Have a great day.

[A]

I wanted to read this one last text. My husband Shuzo Uno played trumpet with Eddie P and Machito and Celia. Jazz trumpeters love them both. They brought, bought love and elevated the music and audiences together. Everyone should leave the performances high on love and joy. Ever wanted to stay on vacation longer? Us too. With VRBO's long stay discounts, you can stay longer and save more on select properties. Gotta love a win win book. The perfect summer getaway today with VRBO Private vacation rentals. Your future self will thank you later.

[B]

I'm Ira Flato, host of Science Friday. For over 30 years, our team has.

[A]

Been reporting high quality news about science, technology and medicine.

[B]

News you won't get anywhere else.

[A]

And now that political news is 24.

[B]

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