EDDIE PALMIERI, RIP

There are guys in salsa who can get entire stadiums dancing and galvanize crowds from the very first notes and vocalizations, and there aren’t many of them. Here are a few: Eddie Palmieri, Johnny Pacheco, Ruben Blades, Oscar de Leon, Hector Lavoe, Willie Colon… not to mention Celia Cruz, Angel Canales…

In the 1980s, on “free” radio stations, I played their records and danced salsa until dawn. I had a soft spot for Colombian salsa (Cuban salsa, when you dance it, makes your head spin) and Puerto Rican salsa. These rhythms were put through the grinder (or the blender, as we say now) by the New York producers at Fania, because back then, salsa was happening in New York!

This week, Eddie Palmieri passed away. He was THE Colombian salsa pianist, ready to make you dance like crazy or move you to tears.

So for those who don’t know him or for those who want to hear pure Colombian salsa, here’s Eddie Palmieri as we love him.

A HIT: ¡Vamonos Pa’l Monte! (with his brother Charlie) with one of the best salsa piano solo ever heard!

And a MEGA HIT: Harlem River Drive, from the eponym album.

And a mixtape (which I recommend you download… media Human is your friend) TWO hours 20 of Salsa, as if you were there! DANCE!

¡Eddie, te hechamos de menos! (Eddie, we miss you)