Originally Published 5 months ago — by Rolling Stone
Eddie Palmieri, a pioneering and experimental salsa pianist and bandleader known for blending various musical styles and expanding the genre's boundaries, has died at 88 after an extended illness. His influential career included groundbreaking albums, innovative arrangements, and a lasting impact on Latin music, earning him a Grammy and recognition as one of the genre's last giants from its golden era.
Eddie Palmieri, a pioneering and experimental salsa pianist and bandleader known for blending various musical styles and expanding the genre, has died at 88. His influential career included groundbreaking albums, innovative arrangements, and a lasting impact on Latin music, earning him a Grammy and recognition as a genre-defining artist.
Eddie Palmieri, a pioneering Latin jazz pianist and bandleader instrumental in shaping the salsa genre and blending Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz, rock, and classical influences, died at 88. His innovative work, including founding La Perfecta and collaborating with jazz legends, earned him multiple Grammys and recognition as a major figure in 20th-century music. Palmieri was known for his fiery performances, political activism, and dedication to the roots of Afro-Caribbean music.
