Annotations for Subject-headings: Grammy Awards

For over 30 years, pianist Eddie Palmeri has been pushing the creative limits of Latin music. His unorthodox experimental style has defied musical categories. [Highlight--piano music] Reporter Alfredo Cruz of station WBGO in Newark, recently spoke with Eddie Palmeri, the musical renegade, and he prepared this report.

[Background--piano music] Like his music, Eddie Palmeri is intensely energetic. His piano solos have been known to go from delicate, esoteric explorations to fist pounding accents all within the same phrase. He has developed his own musical identity. When Eddie plays the sound of a note or accord is immediately recognizable as unmistakably Palmeri. He admits, however, he didn't always want to be a pianist.

Well, on the piano, I started at eight years old and then by 11, 12 I wanted to be a timbalero, a drummer. Tito Puente was my idol. By that time, I started with my uncle who had a who had a conjunto, El Chino Y Su Alma Tropical. We had a tresita, a guitajita, bongocero, conguero, my other uncle Frankie. I played timbales and I stuck with them for almost two years until I couldn't carry the drums anymore. I just couldn't do it.

[Highlight-- Afro-Cuban Jazz]

[Background-- Afro-Cuban Jazz] One of Palmeri's earliest and most important musical influences was his older brother Charlie, also a pianist who not only served as mentor, but helped Eddie get started in the business over 30 years ago.

[Highlight--Afro-Cuban Jazz]

[Background--Afro-Cuban Jazz] My brother Charlie used to play with Tito Puente. That was one of the most important conjuntos that we've ever had here. Wherever my brother would go and play, he would recommend me and that's how I got into an orchestra called Ray Almore Quintet. And first Johnnie Segui in '55, Vincentico Valdez, Pete Terrace in the interim, back to Vincentico Valdez for a summer in '58 in the Palladium, and then the '58 to '60 we took the holiday. After that, I went on my own.

[Highlight--Afro-Cuban Jazz]

The big new trombone sound he had developed revolutionized Afro-Cuban music in the 1960s. Eddie Palmeri had found the perfect combination and called his new band La Perfecta.

[Highlight--Afro-Cuban Jazz]

[Background--Afro-Cuban Jazz] They were a sensation at dance halls like the now legendary Palladium were battle of the bands were common and Palmeri reigned supreme.

[Highlight--Afro-Cuban Jazz]

[Background--Afro-Cuban Jazz] This was done in 1968. That's when La Perfecta breaks up. The beginning of '68, we did a tour of Venezuela, and after that, that was the ending of La Perfecta, phase one, one curtain down. That was it. Boom.

[Highlight--Afro-Cuban Jazz]

[Background--Afro-Cuban Jazz] Over the last 25 years, many of Palmeri's recordings have become classics and his orchestras have provided a proving ground for promising young Latino and jazz musicians. Much like Art Blakey's Messengers was to jazz. But in spite of winning five Grammy awards, record companies have met his innovative musical experiments with skepticism. Recently, however, Palmeri finalized negotiations on a new contract with Electra Asylum records.

[Highlight--Afro-Cuban Jazz]

[Background--Afro-Cuban Jazz] And we're going into a whole other direction. We're going into the Afro-Caribbean jazz, per se. My first attempt by writing specifically in that form. See, I have recorded in that vein as far as composition like chocolate ice cream or 17.1 or VP Blues that I have done. And I'm always looking in that direction in that country. But this time I'm really writing specifically in that vein.

[Highlight--Afro-Cuban Jazz]

[Background--Afro-Cuban Jazz] As to what's in store for the future, whatever musical direction he might take, Palmeri says the core of his music will always remain in Latin rhythms.

[Background--Afro-Cuban Jazz] Those rhythmical patterns will always intrigue me. They've been here now for 40,000 years, so they'll be here for another 40,000 for sure. But I will not be here that long. But in the time that I'm here, I'm going to utilize it to the maximum and then achieve and have a wonderful time doing that and incorporating that into our music because it's something that has certainly intrigued me and I must achieve that and will.

[Highlight--Afro-Cuban Jazz]

From Newark, New Jersey for Latino USA, I'm Alfredo Cruz.