Charlie Palmieri

Charlie Palmieri matched his younger brother Eddie in pianistic brilliance, displaying a percussive touch attuned to rhythmic drive alongside ornate flourishes rooted in formal training. He launched his keyboard lessons at age seven, studied at the Juilliard School of Music, and turned professional at sixteen. In 1948 he launched El Conjunto Pin Pin, then spent time in bands led by Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, and Pupi Campo before establishing his own Charanga Duboney ensemble in 1958. Serving as music director for the Alegre All Stars on the Alegre imprint during the 1960s, he prompted rival Latin imprints such as Tico and Fania to assemble comparable all-star units. Following the era’s broader trend among Latin jazz musicians, he experimented with the Latin boogaloo idiom and cut sides for major companies including RCA Victor and Atlantic. After a near mental collapse in 1969 he regained his footing, returning to work with Puente on the El Mambo de Tito Puente television show while also embarking on a parallel path as a historian and instructor of Latin music and history at several New York colleges throughout the 1970s. Palmieri relocated to Puerto Rico for a short period between 1980 and 1983; upon returning to New York he suffered a major heart attack and stroke, yet he recovered sufficiently to front assorted Latin groups, among them Combo Gigante. One of his final studio contributions was a stirring guest spot on Mongo Santamaria’s “Mayeya” in 1987, later featured on Mongo’s Afro Blue: The Picante Collection for Concord Picante. He made his debut appearance in England in 1988, not long before his passing. Although most of his catalog remains difficult to obtain through domestic outlets, Messidor’s A Giant Step can be found on CD.