Eddie Palmieri Shines with Strong Latin Jazz Group

Posted on 15. May, 2010 by Hector Aviles in Blog

Eddie Palmieri has not lost a beat regarding knowing how to put on a good Latin music show for the audience to enjoy. Mr. Palmieri, a 9-time Grammy Award winner, has a solid group of star musicians that help him sizzle the stage with vibrant notes and infectious harmony.

I went with my wife and another friend couple to see their show at Seattle’s Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, and we had a wonderful evening. I had a chance to talk to Eddie’s son, Edward Palmieri II, and had the visit to our table of master “conguero” Little Johnny Rivero.

Brian Lynch and Yosvany Terry

The Jazz Alley is a magnificent venue to watch any show, and Eddie Palmieri shined with his Latin Jazz group of starts. Veteran trumpet player and Grammy Award winner Brian Lynch is joined in metals by Cuban sensation Yosvany Terry in alto saxophone. Both Brian Lynch and Yosvany Terry’s solos were simply mesmerizing. Their ability to go up and down the scale in perfect harmony and exquisite musicality stands them apart. Brian Lynch demonstrated why he got a Grammy for his Latin Jazz release “Simpatico”, in which he invited maestro Palmieri to collaborate in a reversal of bandleader roles and which gave Mr. Palmieri his 9^th Grammy. You can get more information on Brian Lynch’s work at his site HERE. Yosvany Terry left no doubt why he’s one of the hottest young talents these days. He can go toe-to-toe on the alto sax with anyone I’ve heard, including fellow Cuban Paquito D’Rivera and the late Latin music great Dominican Mario Rivera.

Little Johnny Rivero

The percussion section is anchored by veteran master “conguero” Vincent “Little Johnny” Rivero, known for being part of the glory years of the Sonora Ponceña, where he played for 16 years, and is now in his 9^th with maestro Palmieri. Little Johnny’s tumbao is deeply rooted in the Cuban rythms used in Salsa and Latin music, which Papo Lucca exploits in his Sonora Ponceña. But Little Johnny has continued to mature as a percussionist and kept lifting the band with his 3-conga drums by continuously injecting savvy cuts in top of the “tumbao”, and captivated the audience with solos which showcased his mastery of the instrument. Jose Claussell did well in holding his turf on timbales, and along with bongo player Orlando Vega, the percussion section sounded as one solid unit, displaying the type of “afinque” (joint sound – I guess is the best way to translate the term) these master musicians have achieved by playing together for several years. The band is rounded by the young and very talented Luques Curtis on bass, who performed some impressive solos and held the rhythm with great mastery.

In conversations with both Eddie Palmieri and with his son, who manages the business aspect of the group, they expressed gratitude for the opportunity to keep busy showcasing their art around the world. Maestro Palmieri indicated they had just returned from Mexico, and had been in San Diego before coming to Seattle, from where they will take a short trip down to Yoshi’s in San Francisco. Palmieri did share the concern being discussed that we need to attract the younger audience, as they have new genres to compete for their music preference. There weren’t that many young faces in the audience for the show we attended.

A blog about the maestro Eddie Palmieri is never easy to finish, as there is soooo much to say about this legend of Latin music. I’ll say this; if you’re in the Seattle area, check out the shows which run though Sunday May 16^th at the Jazz Alley. If you’re in San Francisco, Washington D.C., Venezuela, Colombia, or other countries or U.S. cities, check out Eddie Palmieri’s schedule at his web site HERE.

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