Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra

エディ・パルミエリ・サルサ・オルケスタ
April 10, 2019
Blue Note Tokyo 

Eddie Palmieri エディ・パルミエリ—piano, vocal
Herman Olivera エルマン・オリベーラ—vocal
Nelson Gonzalezネルソン・ゴンザレス—tres, vocal
Louis Fouchéルイス・フーシェ—saxophone
Jonathan Powellジョナサン・パウエル—trumpet
Jimmy Boschジミー・ボッシュ—trombone, vocal
Joe Fiedlerジョー・フィードラー—trombone
Ruben Rodriguezルベン・ロドリゲス—bass
Vincent "Little Johnny" Riveroヴィンセント “リトル・ジョニー” リベロ—conga
Camilo Molinaカミロ・モリーナ—timbales
Erik Pizaエリック・ピサ—bongo

At the age of 81, Eddie Palmieri sounds even more intense than on his classic recordings from the 1960s. It’s not that those recordings are calm, but there’s now a fierceness and urgency in his live shows, and recordings, that makes him all the more compelling. For the shows at Blue Note, Palmieri brought with him some of the leading musicians in New York, most of whom grew up listening to his music. Or rather feeling and embodying his music.

The show kicked off with a heartbreaking solo piano piece dedicated to his late wife. Palmieri has always included a solo piano piece in his live shows and on his recordings, but this one was breathtakingly sad. Any woman should be so lucky. Sadness, though, shows up in fast tempos and big combos, as well as in slow solos, and the opening emotional depth kept up after the other members hopped on stage.“

Azucar Pa’ Ti” needed little dusting off for this live version. The musicians played this early number with full energy that burst into riffs, swells and tight-focused rhythmic patterns. The interplay between the musicians was so precise, and yet so loose. The horns against vocals was timed to natural perfection, and the three percussionists perfectly balanced piano, bass and tres (three-stringed guitar).

Like all the very best Latin music, it was like hearing a handful of conversations all at once—all of which wove, and re-wove, together into complex patterns of meaning."Lindo Yambu” was a slow burner meant for one of the three styles of rumba dance, a romantic and erotic style. Dancers or not, it sounded gorgeous here, with everyone digging deep for solos and the vocals soaring high and swooping down for accents. The crowd would have leapt out of their chairs by this point, if there had been room in the club. As it was, everyone clapped clave and bounced their chairs into the floor.

Palmieri and his orchestra are, as the phrase has it, a genuine force of nature. But really, the band is a force of culture, the Afro-Caribbean culture that flowed from Europe and Africa into the Caribbean before making its way to the Latin American communities in New York. That culture keeps creating and recreating its intensely rich musical heritage in ever more vital and affecting music. In the hands of Palmieri and band, the music feels as relevant and intense as it ever has.

It was great to see Palmieri blowing a kiss to the younger musicians after they laid down a great solo (again and again). That hand to hand touch, as if on some Latin Sistene Chapel of Music, ensured that the salsa, and all its related musical styles, will continue to flourish. Those little blown kisses aside, Palmieri’s music is one huge embrace, of people, passion and polyrhythm, that feels more loving with each passing year he puts together another great tour and records another great CD.

Eddie Palmieri’s homepage
https://www.palmierimusic.com/
Eddie Palmieri Previous Interview
http://www.jazzinjapan.com/homepage/eddie-palmieri/
Previous CD Review
http://www.jazzinjapan.com/homepage/eddie-palmieri-qla-perfecta-iiq/
Special thanks for all photos:Photo by Great The Kabukicho
撮影: グレート・ザ・歌舞伎町