Eddie Palmieri, Latin music trailblazer, dies at 88
Fania Records, the salsa label, mourned the star's death, calling him 'one of the most innovative and unique artists in music history.' 'We will miss him greatly,' it added. Born in Harlem, New York, to Puerto Rican parents, Palmieri was the younger brother of pianist Charlie Palmieri and entered the music scene at a young age. As a teenager, he took piano lessons at Carnegie Hall while also learning to play the timbales.
He began performing professionally in bands, including a two-year stint with Puerto Rican musician Tito Rodriguez. Palmieri is recognized for having revolutionized the sound of Latin jazz and salsa, with a career spanning more than seven decades. In 1961, he founded the band 'La Perfecta', which redefined salsa by replacing trumpets with trombones.
Four years later, his track 'Azucar Pa Ti' (Sugar For You) became a dancefloor hit -- and decades later, was added to the collection of the US Library of Congress. In 1975, he became the first Latin artist to win a Grammy, for his album 'The Sun of Latin Music,' which won in the newly established Best Latin Recording category. Palmieri was also one of the earliest salsa musicians to adopt a political tone in his compositions.
In 1969, he released the album 'Justicia' (Justice), featuring lyrics that tackled inequality, social justice, and discrimination, with vocals by Puerto Rican singer Ismael Quintana and Cuban vocalist Justo Betancourt. A few years later, in 1972, he performed at Sing Sing, a prison in New York, in front of an audience largely made up of Latino and Black inmates, according to The Washington Post. 'For all humanity!' Palmieri shouted through a loudspeaker in the prison yard, the newspaper reported.
He added that there should be 'no walls,' 'no fear,' and 'only one thing in life: freedom in the years to come.' 'He was a mentor, teacher, and tireless advocate for Latin music and culture,' read a tribute on his social media. 'He inspired generations of musicians and moved countless listeners with his artistry, conviction, and unmistakable sound.' He is survived by five children and four grandchildren. His wife, Iraida Palmieri, passed away in 2014 — AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Kuwait Times
Taylor Swift announces 12th album for ‘pre pre-order'
Taylor Swift attends the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. --AFP US popstar Taylor Swift announced her 12th album, titled 'The Life of a Showgirl,' for 'pre pre-order' just after midnight Tuesday in posts on her website. Her online shop displayed blurred images of a record, CD and cassette tape overlaid with a glittery orange lock, explaining the album artwork would be 'revealed at a later date.' A disclaimer also notes that the release date has not yet been announced, and the album will ship before October 13. 'So I wanted to show you something,' the singer says in a video clip posted to her Instagram as she holds up a vinyl album, its cover completely blurred. 'This is my brand new album 'The Life of a Show Girl',' she says in the clip from the 'New Heights' podcast, hosted by her boyfriend, American football player Travis Kelce, and his brother, ex-NFL player Jason Kelce. 'TS12!' Travis Kelce exclaims in the video. 'The Life of a Showgirl' is the follow-up to Swift's last studio album, 'The Tortured Poets Department,' which was released last year and sold 1.4 million copies the first day. Since 2021, she has been making good on her vow to re-record her first six studio records in a bid to own the rights to them. In May, the 14-time Grammy Award winner, who was locked in a feud with record executives since 2019 over the ownership of her music, said she had bought back the rights to her entire back catalog for an undisclosed sum. The 35-year-old songwriting sensation shattered records with her nearly two-year-long Eras tour that ended last year. It raked in $2 billion over 149 shows around the world, making it the most lucrative tour in music history. Tickets for the tour sold for sometimes exorbitant prices, and it drew millions of fans. — AFP
Kuwait Times
2 days ago
- Kuwait Times
China's Gen Z women embrace centuries-old script
At a studio in central China's Hunan province, a teacher grips an ink brush, gently writing characters of a secret script created by women centuries ago and now being embraced by a new generation. Nushu, meaning 'women's script', emerged around 400 years ago. Barred from attending school, the women secretly learned Chinese characters and adapted them into Nushu, using the script to communicate with each other through letters, song and embroidery. Passed down through generations of women in the remote and idyllic county of Jiangyong, it is now gaining popularity nationwide among Chinese women who view it as a symbol of strength. Student Pan Shengwen said Nushu offered a safe way for women to communicate with each other. 'It essentially creates a sanctuary for us,' the 21-year-old told AFP. 'We can express our thoughts, confide in our sisters and talk about anything.' Compared to Chinese characters, Nushu words are less boxy, more slender and shaped like willow leaves. 'When writing... your breathing must be calm, and only then can your brush be steady,' Pan said. On Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, the hashtag 'Nushu' has been viewed over 73.5 million times -- mostly featuring young women sharing tattoos and other modern work incorporating the old script. Student He Jingying told AFP she had been enrolled in a Nushu class by her mother and that writing it brought her 'a deep sense of calm'. 'It feels like when the brush touches the paper, a kind of strength flows into you.' Teacher Xu Yan writing Nushu characters during a workshop in Beijing. A student holding a book with Nushu characters during a workshop in Beijing. Xu Yan (right) teaching students during a Nushu workshop in Beijing. This picture shows students writing Nushu characters during a workshop in Beijing. Xu Yan (left) teaching students to write Nushu characters during a workshop in Beijing. The aerial photo shows Goulan Yao Village in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. Nushu inheritor Hu Xin (right) writing Nushu calligraphy in a hotel conference room repurposed as a temporary classroom in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. Nushu inheritor He Yuejuan writing Nushu calligraphy at her workshop in Goulan Yao Village in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. Against 'injustice' Nushu is more than just a writing system -- it represents the lived experiences of rural women from the county, Zhao Liming, a professor at Beijing's Tsinghua University, told AFP. 'It was a society dominated by men,' said Zhao, who has been studying Nushu for four decades. 'Their works cried out against this injustice,' she said. The words are read in the local dialect, making it challenging for native Chinese speakers not from the region to learn it. Teacher He Yuejuan said the writing is drawing more attention because of its elegance and rarity. 'It seems to be quite highly regarded, especially among many students in the arts,' He told AFP outside her gallery, which sells colorful merchandise, including earrings and shawls with Nushu prints. As a Jiangyong native, He said Nushu was 'part of everyday life' growing up. After passing strict exams, she became one of 12 government-designated 'inheritors' of Nushu and is now qualified to teach it. Nushu instructor Jiang Yanying conducting a pronunciation lesson in a hotel conference room repurposed as a temporary classroom in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. Nushu inheritor He Yuejuan writing Nushu calligraphy at her workshop in Goulan Yao Village in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. The photo shows a student writing Nushu calligraphy in a hotel conference room repurposed as a temporary classroom in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. Nushu inheritor He Yuejuan (center) talking with university students at her workshop at Goulan Yao Village in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. People learning Nushu pronunciation in a hotel conference room repurposed as a temporary classroom in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. People learning Nushu calligraphy in a hotel conference room repurposed as a temporary classroom in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. Nushu inheritor He Yuejuan (right) displaying a Nushu calligraphy work at her workshop at Goulan Yao Village in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. 'Really special' An hour's drive away, around a hundred Nushu learners packed into a hotel room to attend a week-long workshop organized by local authorities trying to promote the script. Zou Kexin, one of the many participants, told AFP she had read about Nushu online and wanted to 'experience it in person'. 'It's a unique writing system belonging to women, which makes it really special,' said Zou, 22, who attends a university in southwestern Sichuan province. Animation student Tao Yuxi, 23, one of the handful of men attending the workshop, told AFP he was learning Nushu to gain inspiration for his creative work. He said his aunt was initially confused about why he was learning Nushu, as it is not typically associated with men. As it represents part of China's cultural heritage, Nushu has to be passed down, he said. 'It's something that everyone should work to preserve -- regardless of whether they are women or men.' — AFP
Kuwait Times
3 days ago
- Kuwait Times
Eddie Palmieri, Latin music trailblazer, dies at 88
Eddie Palmieri, who revolutionized Latin music and played a major role in the salsa explosion in New York City, passed away Wednesday at the age of 88, according to the artist's official social media account. The 'legendary pianist, composer, bandleader, and one of the most influential figures in Latin music history, passed away in his New Jersey residence on Aug 6,' read a post on Palmieri's Instagram handle, alongside a photo of the artist. Fania Records, the salsa label, mourned the star's death, calling him 'one of the most innovative and unique artists in music history.' 'We will miss him greatly,' it added. Born in Harlem, New York, to Puerto Rican parents, Palmieri was the younger brother of pianist Charlie Palmieri and entered the music scene at a young age. As a teenager, he took piano lessons at Carnegie Hall while also learning to play the timbales. He began performing professionally in bands, including a two-year stint with Puerto Rican musician Tito Rodriguez. Palmieri is recognized for having revolutionized the sound of Latin jazz and salsa, with a career spanning more than seven decades. In 1961, he founded the band 'La Perfecta', which redefined salsa by replacing trumpets with trombones. Four years later, his track 'Azucar Pa Ti' (Sugar For You) became a dancefloor hit -- and decades later, was added to the collection of the US Library of Congress. In 1975, he became the first Latin artist to win a Grammy, for his album 'The Sun of Latin Music,' which won in the newly established Best Latin Recording category. Palmieri was also one of the earliest salsa musicians to adopt a political tone in his compositions. In 1969, he released the album 'Justicia' (Justice), featuring lyrics that tackled inequality, social justice, and discrimination, with vocals by Puerto Rican singer Ismael Quintana and Cuban vocalist Justo Betancourt. A few years later, in 1972, he performed at Sing Sing, a prison in New York, in front of an audience largely made up of Latino and Black inmates, according to The Washington Post. 'For all humanity!' Palmieri shouted through a loudspeaker in the prison yard, the newspaper reported. He added that there should be 'no walls,' 'no fear,' and 'only one thing in life: freedom in the years to come.' 'He was a mentor, teacher, and tireless advocate for Latin music and culture,' read a tribute on his social media. 'He inspired generations of musicians and moved countless listeners with his artistry, conviction, and unmistakable sound.' He is survived by five children and four grandchildren. His wife, Iraida Palmieri, passed away in 2014 — AFP
