Biography
It seemed odd that Remo Palmieri, who attracted notice during the first years of bop, never rose to greater prominence even though his career spanned many decades. He first intended to pursue painting and took local guitar jobs to cover his tuition costs, yet by 1942 he had turned fully professional alongside Nat Jaffe’s Trio. A steady string of prominent engagements followed: Coleman Hawkins in 1943, Red Norvo the next year, then Barney Bigard, Billie Holiday, Phil Moore, and Dizzy Gillespie in 1945, the last of these yielding sessions with Bird and Diz. Esquire presented him a “new star” award that same year. Palmieri ranked among the earliest guitarists to build upon Charlie Christian’s innovations, yet he opted for the anonymous routine of studio work, joining the CBS staff and spending twenty-seven years on the Arthur Godfrey Show. Because most of his playing occurred in faceless settings, he remained little more than a footnote in jazz annals despite having appeared on the original recording of “Groovin’ High.” Occasional returns to the spotlight came later, including a 1978 session with Herb Ellis and his sole date as a leader, a Concord album issued that year. Also credited at times as Palmier, he performed with Benny Goodman and Dick Hyman during the 1970s and took part in Swing Reunion’s 1985 concert, which produced a recording. One wonders how much further his jazz work might have reached had he chosen to remain in that field.