In the four years since mambo king Tito Puente's death, much of what has been written about Eddie Palmieri has centered on the pianist and bandleader's ascension to the throne of Afro-Cuban music. But seven-time Grammy winner Palmieri has been royalty long enough that mere title is beside the point. The 67-year-old has released more than fifty albums in his half-century career, including last year's Ritmo Caliente, a well-reviewed disc that incorporates into its hard swing echoes of Brazil's great early-20th-century composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. Of course, Palmieri also brings the salsa. And Saturday, he brings it -- the salsa, the diamond-hard piano playing, the driving percussion -- to the Gem. Whether you prefer touching cheeks to a tango or bumping cheeks to a rhumba, Palmieri's your man.
Comments (0)