Eddie Palmieri, a champion of Latin jazz, dies at 88

— Los Angeles Times ( )

Eddie Palieri was a Latin jazz award-winning pianist, bandleader and composer, he won the first Grammy in a Latin category. He worked with Fania Records, Tico, Alegre, Concord Picante, RMM and Coco Records. He joined the Eddie Forrester Orchestra, Johnny Segui and His Orchestra, and eventually Tito Rodriguez and His Orchestra. Palieri was nicknamed “Madman of Salsa” although he didn’t care for the epithet. Palieri claimed his work was heavily influenced by Afro-Cuban music, Puerto Rican rhythmical patterns in a Cuban genre.

In 1965 he released “Azúcar,” an eight-minute track that was later added to the National Recording Registry in 2009. In 1976 he became the first best Latin recording winner with his album “S

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