If thanks to Bad Bunny you are developping a curiosity into Puertorrrican music, salsa and latin-jazz, this classic from 1998 comes in highly recommended. Palmieri is among latin aficionadas and aficionados a true legend: he is one of the main engineers of New York salsa, especially the highly coke fuelled 70ies hardcore salsa, which later became known as salsa dura.
With El Rumbero del Piano (RMM, 1998) he made his ultimate statement on record, in my humble opinion. The rhythmical variety on this album is just stunning, the trumpets blaze and blare like mad though not with the sometimes metallic sound which makes some salsa hard to listen to. There is a seasoned sound in those horns which just never fails to stimulate goosebumps here – in the larger quantities. The percussion sparkles all throughout everyone of these cuts, and the vocal delivery of Herman Oliveira (you know him ofcourse of his splendid work for a.o. Libre and Jimmy Bosch) makes me want to cry my heart out, it is so goddamn gorgeous. This is spiritual afrolatin music for sure.
It is to say: if you have serious interest into excellent afrolatin music, this one cannot not be in your collection. And as far as I know it, it is not on the platforms. Go hunting!
Eduardo Palmieri (December 15, 1936 – August 6, 2025)
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