IJS presents A Tribute to Eddie Palmieri w/Little Johnny Rivero

FEATURING Alex Pastrana piano, Anthony Perez bass, Sebastian Duque drums, Micah Silverstein tenor sax, and special guest Conrad Herwig

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ABOUT EDDIE PALMIERI

Known as one of the finest pianists of the past 60 years, Eddie Palmieri is a bandleader, arranger, and composer of salsa and Latin jazz. His playing skillfully fuses the rhythm of his Puerto Rican heritage with the complexity of his jazz influences: Thelonious Monk, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, as well as his older brother, Charlie Palmieri.

Palmieri’s parents emigrated from Ponce, Puerto Rico to New York City in 1926. Born in Spanish Harlem and raised in the Bronx, Palmieri learned to play the piano at an early age, and at 13, he joined his uncle’s orchestra, playing timbales. Palmieri’s professional career as a pianist took off with various bands in the early 1950s, including Eddie Forrester, Johnny Segui’s, and the popular Tito Rodriguez Orchestra.

In 1961, Palmieri formed his own band, La Perfecta, which featured an unconventional front line of trombones rather than the trumpets customary in Latin orchestras. This created an innovative sound that mixed American jazz into Afro-Caribbean rhythms, surprising critics and fans alike. Palmieri disbanded La Perfecta in 1968 to pursue different musical endeavors, though he would return to the band’s music in the 2000s.

Palmieri perfected his arranging skills in the 1970s, releasing several impressive recordings that reflected his unorthodox approach to music. His unconventional style would once again surprise critics and fans with the 1970 release entitled “Harlem River Drive.” This recording was the first to merge what were categorized as “Black” and “Latin” music into a free-form sound that encompassed elements of salsa, funk, soul, and jazz.

In 1975, Palmieri won the first-ever Grammy for Best Latin Recording for The Sun of Latin Music (he’s won ten Grammys altogether to date), including two for his influential recording with Tito Puente, Obra Maestra/Masterpiece. Recognizing Palmieri as an American icon, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, recorded two of Palmieri’s performances for its archives in 1988. Because of Palmieri’s proclivity for creating music in funk Latin style, Little Louie Vega invited him to record on Nuyorican Soul (1997), a release that became very popular in the house and underground music scenes.

In addition to the Grammys, Palmieri has received numerous honors: Eubie Blake Award (1991); Most Exciting Latin Performance, presented by the BBC in London (2002); Yale University’s Chubb Fellowship, usually reserved for international heads of state, but given to Palmieri in recognition of his work building communities through music (2002); Harlem Renaissance Award (2005); Jay McShann Lifetime Achievement Award (2008), and induction into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame (2008). A year later, the Library of Congress added Palmieri’s composition “Azucar Pa’ Ti” to the National Recording Registry, which at the time only included 300 compositions documenting the history of all recorded music in the U.S. With his widely popular eight-and-a-half minute “Azucar Pa’ Ti,” Palmieri changed the format of the recording industry, breaking the three-and-a-half-minute barrier imposed by the recording industry.

In 2012, Palmieri continued to innovate, celebrating 75 years with new music included in the original score for a documentary co-directed by Bobbito Garcia called “Doin it in the Park” that explores the cultural influence of playground basketball on sports and music. Palmieri’s music recorded for the documentary was released as a soundtrack in November of 2013. This was Eddie’s first time recording his own new music since winning back-to-back Grammys in 2005 and 2006. The songs featured in the documentary are part of Eddie’s next full-length album, Sabiduria, which will be released in 2017. Sabiduria is a fusion of jazz, funk, and Latin fused with Afro-world rhythms.

In 2013, Eddie Palmieri was awarded the coveted Jazz Master award by the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA). The NEA Jazz Master award is the highest honor an American Jazz artist can receive. For more about the NEA recognition, please visit: NEA Jazz Masters. In 2013, Palmieri was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. For more information: Latin Grammy Special Awards.

In 2015, Palmieri released a new Big Band version of his classic composition, Vámonos P’al Monte, along with the first-ever studio recording of another popular Palmieri original, Pa’ La Ocha Tambo. In 2016/17, Palmieri also recorded a Big Band album, entitled Mi Luz Mayor, which features Carlos Santana and Gilberto Santa Rosa.

In the Spring of 2017, Palmieri released Sabiduria/Wisdom, rolling out his new music in successive volumes. Palmieri followed up the release of Sabiduria/Wisdom in 2018 by releasing Full Circle as a salsa album and the world's first interactive Salsa app. For more information: Billboard article.

In late 2018, Grammy-nominated Mi Luz Mayor was released featuring Carlos Santana, Gilberto Santa Rosa, and Herman Olivera, during his 2018-'19 international touring schedule.

Despite a worldwide pandemic in 2020, Palmieri continued to share his music at home and abroad performing on live streams via the Central Park Summer Stage, Brooklyn Bowl, the Blue Note NYC, and La Feria de Cali (Colombia) among others, some of which recently became available in his on-line store.

In 2024, Eddie was once again honored by the Library of Congress, received three positions, including #2, on the Rolling Stone Top 50 Latin Albums list and performed live for Spike Lee's Spring 2025 film "High and Low."

Also in 2024, Eddie Palmieri celebrated his 88th Birthday on December 15, 2024, and will commemorate the date in early 2025 by launching a new music and video as well as archival content within his first, long-awaited direct to fan e-commerce platform on his website.

ABOUT LITTLE JOHNNY RIVERO

Conguero, percussionist, producer, songwriter and bandleader Little Johnny Rivero has performed all over the U.S., Canada, Europe, Africa, Asia, Caribbean and the South Pacific. Born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents, Rivero, as young boy, was drawn to Latin jazz and the sounds and rhythms of the rumbero players in the NYC area. At age 10, Johnny began practicing percussion and joined his school band.

Soon after, he took dance lessons, which eventually led to performances on stage with the bands of the era at such famous venues as the Manhattan Center, the Colgate Garden, the Copacabana, and the Palladium. At age 14, Rivero joined Orquesta Colon, the youngest Latin band in New York City, and recorded two albums with them.

In 1973, Rivero moved to Puerto Rico with his parents, and joined La Sonora Ponceña in 1974. After playing bongos with them for a year and a half, he switched to congas, which rekindled the love he had with the instrument as a small child. Rivero attributes the rhythms and professional conduct he learned from Quique Lucca and his son, Papo Lucca, as qualities that have made him what he is today. During the 16 years Rivero played with La Sonora Ponceña, he traveled worldwide and made 18 highly respected albums with them.

Rivero has recorded with such producers as Eddie Palmieri, Brian Lynch, and Dr. Lonnie Smith. In May 1997, Rivero shared the stage with his inspiration and idol, Jose Mangual. Rivero’s credits also include work with Charlie Palmieri, Dave Valentin, Ruben Blades, Cheo Feliciano, Andy Montanez, Ismael Miranda, Celia Cruz, Giovanni Hidalgo, Ray Barretto, Patato Valdez, Changito, Tata Guines, John Santos, Sergio George, Bebo Valdes, Paquito D’Rivera, Tito Puente, and numerous other artists.

Rivero’s first solo effort, “Pasos Gigantes,” was well received by critics and music fans alike. He wrote and produced every song on that CD, showcasing his arranging and playing abilities. He is currently working on his next CD, “Music in Me,” his first Latin Jazz album, which will include musicians, Brian Lynch on trumpet, Zaccai Curtis on piano and keyboards, Luques Curtis on bass, Louis Founche on saxophone, Andrei Matorin on violin, Ludwig Alfonso on drums, and Anthony Carrillo on bongo and bata drums.

Currently, Rivero is traveling internationally with Grammy Award winner Eddie Palmieri. He also continues to record in studio sessions and perform with many of the most respected acts in Latin music, including his own band.

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Check out the livestream on the Clement's Place Jazz and IJS Facebook pages and on our YouTube channel -

https://www.facebook.com/events/407513298157352/?ref=newsfeed

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf8W7q1qlz0yt5Ebcn4tkSQ

https://www.facebook.com/InstituteJazzStudies

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