Eddie Palmieri, the Harlem-born, Grammy-winning pianist and composer who revolutionized Latin music with his incorporation of various new sounds, died Wednesday. He was 88.

Palmieri died after an “extended illness” at his home in Hackensack, N.J., his daughter Gabriela told the New York Times.

“He was a mentor, a teacher, and a tireless advocate for Latin music and culture ,” Palmieri’s family wrote in an Instagram post. “He inspired generations of musicians and moved countless listeners with his artistry, conviction and unmistakable sound.”

An eight-time Grammy winner , Palmieri took both an iconoclastic and professorial approach to his music, striving for perfection through various means and genres.

Known as a salsa music pioneer, Palmieri combined jazz, classical, boogaloo,

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