1 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:09,560 Speaker 1: Dear leat you know USA listener. 2 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 2: Before we start, you should know that if you want 3 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 2: to listen to this episode ad free, just join and 4 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 2: you can join for as little as seven dollars a month. 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 2: Joining also gets you behind the scenes access and yes, 6 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 2: some cheese may so click the link in the episode 7 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 2: description and after you do that, then click play. 8 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:33,200 Speaker 1: Let's go to the show. 9 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 2: Dear leat you know USA listener. We are going to 10 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 2: start our show today by thinking about someone who recently 11 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 2: left us, and that is legendary Puerto Rican Latin musician 12 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: and piano genius Eddie Palmieri. And I want to share 13 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 2: some of my best memories of who Eddie was and 14 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 2: what he meant to me and to so many Latinos, Latinas, 15 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:08,320 Speaker 2: Latines and LATINX people all across the country and frankly 16 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 2: anyone who loves music. 17 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: It was New York City in the nineteen eighties. Puerto 18 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: Ricans ran the city. 19 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 2: Salsa was the music that was dominating, and then there 20 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: were some musicians who were pushing salsa to the next level. 21 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 2: One of the big pioneers was Eddie Palmieri. The thing 22 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 2: about Eddie Palmieri is that everybody knew that he could 23 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 2: play salsa Latin music as it was called, but everybody 24 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 2: then realized. 25 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 1: He was a jazz aficionado. 26 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 2: He was somebody who was prepared to break through, to 27 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 2: make a kind of music that really hadn't been heard before. 28 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 2: It wasn't just that Eddie Palmieri was a piano genius. 29 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 2: If you ever saw Eddie Palmieri play, you know what 30 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 2: I'm talking about, my own local monstro in a piano. 31 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 2: He was a crazy man. He was a monster on 32 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 2: the piano. So for me, Eddie Palmieri was about watching 33 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 2: him play live because he became one with the piano, 34 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 2: lifted himself, propelled himself off the piano bench, and there 35 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: was nothing like Eddie Palmiery playing live. I remember I 36 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 2: was a cub journalist and I got an interview with 37 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 2: Eddie Palmieri. 38 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:36,359 Speaker 1: I was at the Blue Note. 39 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 2: The Blue Note in the West Village is like one 40 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 2: of the old school jazz clubs in New York City 41 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 2: that is still standing. It was on the second floor 42 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:50,239 Speaker 2: where the musicians would hang out and I got a 43 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 2: chance to meet him, and it was just one of 44 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 2: those huge moments in my life because by him saying 45 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 2: yes to me. It represent that I was really truly 46 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 2: beginning my career in journalism. And the thing about Eddie 47 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 2: Palmieri is that even though he was this huge music star, 48 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 2: he was really nice. And I'll never forget that Eddie 49 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 2: Palmieri's music it can't be categorized. He was a genre blender. 50 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 2: There was a mix of salsad, rumba, jazz, juah wan go, 51 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 2: you name it, and it made the people of New 52 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 2: York City get on the dance floor. It started in 53 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 2: the nineteen sixties and people across the country were jumping in. 54 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 2: Palmieri played with other Latin jazz greats like Tito Puente 55 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 2: and Machito. He was the first Latino artist to win 56 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 2: a Grammy Award, and he went on to earn seven 57 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 2: more in his career, during which he released nearly forty albums, 58 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 2: and many of those pieces that he composed became like 59 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 2: a soundtrack of my life. Like I have a visual 60 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 2: memory of Eddie Palmieri playing malanga at the Village Gate 61 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 2: Satsa meets jazz on a Monday night in. 62 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: New York City. The place was popping. 63 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 2: I mean people were dancing, people were taking over the 64 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 2: dance floor and Eddie palmer was all over that piano. 65 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 2: So Eddie Palmery has been a part of my life 66 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 2: for many decades, and it broke my heart to hear 67 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 2: that he had passed to the other side. Eddie died 68 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 2: on August sixth of twenty twenty five at his home 69 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 2: in Hackensack, New Jersey. 70 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 1: He was eighty eight years old. 71 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 2: I mean, everybody knew that Eddie Palmery was getting older, 72 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 2: and some people knew that he was having some health issues. Nonetheless, 73 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 2: people were overwhelmingly shocked and they had a lot to 74 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 2: say about their love for Eddie Palmery. 75 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: Latinos, we lost a legend last night. 76 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 3: You can't talk about music today without really understanding the 77 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,280 Speaker 3: roots and the legacy that Eddie left behind. 78 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: When I listened to Eddie Palmery, you automatically knew it 79 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: was Eddie because of his sound, his style. 80 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 2: Over the years, I interviewed Eddie Palmery more than once, 81 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 2: and the last time it was, oh my god, so special, 82 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 2: because he came to our studio to sit down to 83 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 2: have a conversation in Harlem about his life at that moment, 84 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 2: and I truly never expected him. The great Eddie Palmery 85 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 2: to get so emotional, but he did so to celebrate 86 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 2: Eddie's brilliant life, his endless creativity, and his extraordinary positivity. 87 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 2: I want to share with you the last interview that 88 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,719 Speaker 2: I did with him back in twenty eighteen. So, dear listener, 89 00:05:52,800 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 2: here is my conversation with Edgeno, the genius Eddie Palmiery 90 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:10,679 Speaker 2: from Vuduro Media. It's Latino USA. I'm Maria in Coosa today, 91 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 2: a conversation with sas a legend, Eddie PALMIRI. So, Eddie Palmirie, 92 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 2: it is so wonderful to have you in our studio 93 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 2: at Latino USA. 94 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 1: Welcome to our show. 95 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 4: Oh my pleasure, Maria. That's beautiful. I congratulate you and 96 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 4: look extremely proud of what you've done. 97 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, thank you, Eddie. I mean it's like, 98 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 2: I mean, I remember seeing you. I think the first 99 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,920 Speaker 2: time that I saw you playing live was soon after 100 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 2: I moved from Chicago to New York, and it was 101 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 2: in the early nineteen eighties, and I remember being on 102 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 2: the street and you were playing the piano and your 103 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 2: band was out. 104 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 4: But you got to remember, the street meant so much 105 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 4: to me because at the same time, in the seventies. 106 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 4: I played all the prisons that I could. I played 107 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 4: Attaka twice. I played Racas Island Records. Island is really 108 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 4: the best story because why Diyle becomes to be my EMC. 109 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 2: You know. 110 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 4: So now we got on stage and they're bringing all 111 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 4: the inrates and here goes because before I bring on 112 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 4: my Latin sol brother, Eddie, have we ever seen such 113 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 4: a captive adius? 114 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 5: And we almost got killed. 115 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 6: You're like, don't say that, dizzy. 116 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 2: So Eddie, you're eighty years old. 117 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 7: You you've. 118 00:07:58,320 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 2: You're thirty one. 119 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 4: I'm thirty because at further Chocolate Minentero that played with 120 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 4: Benny More and Kula, he taught me that after fifty 121 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 4: you start counting by one again. So now I'm thirty 122 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 4: and I'll be thirty one seven fifteen. 123 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 2: I want to take you back to your childhood because 124 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 2: I didn't realize that there was this kind of amazing 125 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 2: detail about your mom. 126 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 5: Oh your mom. 127 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 2: So you were growing up in Spanish Harlem and in 128 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 2: the Bronx right. 129 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 4: My mother arrived in nineteen twenty five from Puerto Rico 130 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 4: at seventeen, but he already had the preparation of being 131 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 4: a steamstress. She then landed up in the garment center 132 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 4: and she's the one that put us on the piano. 133 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: Well that's the point. 134 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 2: So here's your mom who's a hard working woman. She 135 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 2: understands hard work. 136 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 1: She's a seamstress. But your mom is like Kiro give 137 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:50,559 Speaker 1: mesicos and musico. I want my kids to be musicians. 138 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 5: Yeah. 139 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 4: So my brother was Charlie Palmier, and my brother, Charlie 140 00:08:54,040 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 4: was already playing professionally in fourteen years of age. 141 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: So you don't often hear that that a mom. 142 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 2: It's like, I want my kids to be musicians. 143 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:09,440 Speaker 5: The only problem my brother. 144 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 4: Had when he was playing at fourteen in the Park Plaza, 145 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,320 Speaker 4: which is right on one hundred and tenth Street and 146 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 4: now went to a church there where he was playing 147 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 4: there and at the end of the engagement, they would 148 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:22,319 Speaker 4: tell him, Charlie, your mother's outside waiting for you. 149 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 5: That didn't work too well for my brother. 150 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 1: Why did your mom want you guys to become musicians? 151 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 5: She knew what it was to work so hard. You know. 152 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 4: My father was an electrician. He worked on and he 153 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 4: kept studying it, became a radio and television repair man. 154 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 4: We also then eventually bought an old candy store and 155 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:50,960 Speaker 4: then we turned that into a luncheon neet. My mother 156 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:53,440 Speaker 4: and my grandmother cooked because my grandmother used to have 157 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:55,320 Speaker 4: what they called phone does in Puerto Rico. 158 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:56,439 Speaker 5: They were restaurants. 159 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 4: And then I named the place the luncheonet called it Mumbo. 160 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:03,200 Speaker 4: And then I used to take care of the jukebox. 161 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 4: I was fourteen years of age, and I would take 162 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 4: the bottles down. Then I would make egg cream that 163 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 4: would like to throw a jerk. 164 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 2: When we come back, I continue my conversation with Eddie 165 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 2: Palmery from a few years ago, as we remember his 166 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 2: life and his legacy, stay with us not there by. Yes, Hey, 167 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 2: we're back and we're going to pick up the last 168 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 2: conversation I had with musician Eddie Palmery on Latino USA 169 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 2: back in twenty eighteen, as we celebrate his legacy after 170 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 2: his recent passing. 171 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 1: Let's get back to my conversation. 172 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 2: So from that young age, your mom gets you on 173 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:55,679 Speaker 2: the piano, you and your brother, Charlie Palmiery. It's the 174 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 2: nineteen sixties now, okay, and the place to play for 175 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 2: Latin band is the Palladium. 176 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 4: In nineteen forty nine they opened up the Palladium. They 177 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 4: brought up promote to CoFe Nico Pagani. He convinced mister Hymen, 178 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,200 Speaker 4: who was the owner, to bring in the Machio Orchestra 179 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 4: on a Sunday matinee. 180 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 5: Okay, and the place gets packed, you know. 181 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 2: And when you say it was packed a thousand people 182 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:26,720 Speaker 2: so people of color were playing. 183 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 1: Who was packing it? 184 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:30,720 Speaker 5: Was it white folks, no Latino. 185 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 2: And this was kind of scandalous to have Latinos in 186 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 2: the middle of a Sunday, in the middle of midtown. 187 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 5: Yeah. 188 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 4: And now the owners too many. He was very nervous. 189 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 4: Too many blacks, too many blacks. And the greatest saying 190 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,480 Speaker 4: that with ever said's statement was said you like black 191 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 4: or green? And his wife said he's right. And they 192 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:57,079 Speaker 4: opened up the Palladium in nineteen forty. 193 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 2: Nine, and this is where the appointe Machito were Pane 194 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 2: and you you actually at that point you were not 195 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 2: up there with Tito, but you did this thing where 196 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 2: you started playing in the spot in front of the police. 197 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 5: Yeah, I rented the place on Wednesday. What were you doing? 198 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: What do you mean you rented the place on What. 199 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:19,920 Speaker 5: Was your plan to be able to get into the palladium. 200 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 4: You couldn't get in there, and I had the hottest 201 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:23,439 Speaker 4: band up in the Bronx. 202 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 2: You actually you you started renting this place in front. 203 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 4: It was a river terrace and it was a beautiful 204 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 4: place for you, you know, and I rented it on Wednesdays. 205 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:36,440 Speaker 1: And you make such a ruckus. 206 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:37,679 Speaker 5: And then I would say not over there. 207 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 4: And I finally got into the Palladium in nineteen sixty three. 208 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 2: Wow, you were connecting with audiences that were like, you know, 209 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 2: the black psychedelic crowd from the Parliament Funkadelics. 210 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 5: You were my concert, right, You were hanging. 211 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 2: Out with San Francisco hippies. You were, in essence, letting 212 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 2: your hair. Do you know your album Harlem river Drive, 213 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 2: you know, is a very big deal. 214 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 4: Calom River Drive brought the CIA in the FBI to 215 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 4: my to my company because and when I becalled Hall 216 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 4: of the Drive, I'm looking to crossover, you know, to crossover, 217 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 4: and I don't cross over. But I have my biggest fans, 218 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 4: and you know who my biggest fans were the anti 219 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 4: government movement called the Weathermen. 220 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 5: People are calling themselves members of the weather Underground. 221 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 3: Last night plotted bombs and federal office buildings in Washington 222 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 3: and Oaklands, California. 223 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,440 Speaker 2: The Weathermen. They were this group of leftists, super leftist, 224 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:51,479 Speaker 2: militant students, mostly college students. 225 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 4: And they get raided and they find hanoverver Drive and 226 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:58,959 Speaker 4: here come the CIA. That was the second time, because 227 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:01,040 Speaker 4: the first time I bought the FBI, and that to 228 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:09,199 Speaker 4: him was when I did Mambo concong Is Mosambique. At 229 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,199 Speaker 4: that time, Alpha sixty six, that was the first Cubans 230 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 4: that were coming from Cuba accused me of being a communist. 231 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 2: Alpha sixty six in some ways was like the opposite 232 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 2: of the weathermen. I mean, they were doing this stuff 233 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 2: from the right. They were militants, they were putting bombs. 234 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 2: They were Cubans who had left Cuba and moved to Miami, 235 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 2: and they were super anti communist. 236 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 5: Okay, and Kuba was fighting an Angola. 237 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 2: Castro had sent his military, his soldiers to Angola in 238 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 2: order to back up the Socialist party. 239 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 4: There, and the rhythm Mosambique came out. I carried Mosambique here. 240 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 4: Alpha sixty six threatened all the radio stations that you 241 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 4: play as We're going to blow up the stations. 242 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 5: That's the first time. 243 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: Why are you so political? 244 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 5: Because I know that every day, every day it's a struggle. 245 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 4: Remember when I was driving nineteen fifty six at the Palladium, 246 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 4: had a little Chevy, I just got married. I suppened 247 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 4: the flying a gas. I had a dollar around me. 248 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 4: They gave me almost four gulets because it was fourteen 249 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 4: cents a gallon. Then I would take to go over 250 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 4: the triborough Bridge at that time, which was a quarter 251 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 4: a quarter till we pay for everything. Now it's can 252 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 4: eventually be twenty five dollars. Okay, So every year things 253 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 4: get worse, it's told in hallow them the drive. All 254 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 4: that message then hallered in the driver every year in 255 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 4: idle hands, and the. 256 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 5: Hands is really the ones that you know. Out of 257 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 5: my learnings. 258 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 4: I have a book called The Wonderful Wealth Machine, and 259 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 4: that the gentleman called a goldsmith who said, the law 260 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 4: grinds the poor and the rich rule the law. We 261 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 4: have a problem that is constant. It's an upheaval. That's 262 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 4: why we see all these upheaval problems all over the world. 263 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: We'll be right back. 264 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 2: Hey, we're back, and we're listening to the last interview 265 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 2: I did with Eddie Palmieri in twenty eighteen. 266 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 1: Let's get back to my conversation. 267 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 2: Your new album is called Sabiduria, which means wisdom. It's 268 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 2: something that I love that word. I love sabi Urdia. 269 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 2: And I'm wondering now. I mean, it's twenty seventeen. You 270 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 2: are still pushing Afro Latin jazz and dance music. So 271 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 2: what is that like for you to be just like, no, no, 272 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 2: I'm still a key with these years, but I'm pushing 273 00:16:58,600 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 2: this kind of music. 274 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 4: Sally Duda is really an educational CD. It's the greatest 275 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 4: musicians we have in there. From a filidela Fair on 276 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 4: the violin. Then we have a gentleman called Donald Harrison. 277 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 4: Donald Harrison is the greatest alto player coming out of 278 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 4: New Orleans. We have a gentleman called Joe Locke on 279 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 4: vibes excellent place for mallets. And we have mister Bernard 280 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 4: Purdy the drama. They call him Bernard Hit Party. Marcus 281 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 4: Miller did the last album, the Miles Davis one after the. 282 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 2: Other, correct Wisdom over Wisdom. 283 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 4: Every cut has but be called tension and resistance. Tension 284 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 4: and resistance to reach a musical harmonic rhythmical musical climax, 285 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 4: you have to have tension and resistant in all the 286 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 4: competitions that took me years to study. When they I 287 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 4: was listening to the music that was coming out of Cuba, 288 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 4: you know how they excited me in less than three minutes. 289 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 2: When people think of Latin music, when they think of 290 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 2: self se in fact, they think of it as not 291 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 2: as high brow as jazz. People have this notion that 292 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 2: jazz intellectual. 293 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 5: So there's not a jazz player. 294 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:30,160 Speaker 4: All the jazz players put together cannot comprehend when we play, you. 295 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 2: Know, the premiere jazz player. Maybe they wouldn't be able 296 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 2: to play. 297 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 5: They only want dig Lestice. 298 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 4: He took channel Posto in nineteen forty seven and they 299 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 4: brought to conga. A lot of the jazz musicians they 300 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 4: want they want the conga. Some said they're taking us 301 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 4: back to the jungle. 302 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:46,880 Speaker 5: You know. 303 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:51,000 Speaker 4: But the conga, the rhythm section that we play, that's 304 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 4: the most exciting rhythmical such and when you use it 305 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,439 Speaker 4: with the jazz harmonics like I do, then you have 306 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:01,000 Speaker 4: something unique, you know, something you need because you got 307 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 4: the greatest rhythmic rhythmical pattern and now you've got the 308 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 4: greatest harmonic structures of harmonic structures of jazz. 309 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:11,119 Speaker 2: So Anie, what what do you think of music today, 310 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:14,160 Speaker 2: I mean, are you are you excited with what you hear? 311 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:16,159 Speaker 5: Very disappointed? Very sadden. 312 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 4: You know, the commercial radio only plays from the majors. 313 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:24,280 Speaker 5: You know, see sad san. The word sad means absolutely 314 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 5: nothing to me. Okay. 315 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 4: The one who said in the perspective was Tito Puente, 316 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 4: I put sas on my spaghetti. 317 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 5: Baby. When you use those, all those have their own 318 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:35,399 Speaker 5: proper names. 319 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 4: It comes from the mad rumba. 320 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 5: All of what we hear, you know, I damn sung aichangwi. 321 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 4: All of those rhythms have their proper the name, and 322 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 4: they just put it under one name of Satsa and 323 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 4: then they did Satsa san soir and Satsa Romantica, which 324 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 4: is a disaster. 325 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 5: It doesn't excite you. You. 326 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 4: I recommend that if anybody dances that, take two little 327 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:13,399 Speaker 4: pillows they go. 328 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:15,639 Speaker 5: You got a follow steep each. The couple's going to 329 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 5: fallow sleep while they're dancing. That's how boring the music is. 330 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 2: Give me. 331 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 4: The only way we can get any music is community radio, 332 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 4: which is the sadness in my heart. 333 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:33,679 Speaker 2: It is though it is the way I met you 334 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:38,679 Speaker 2: through WKCR, that listening to your music on WKCR so, 335 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 2: so your favorite track from Sabiluria. 336 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 4: It's one of them, all of them, they all have 337 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 4: and the mess one is the one I wrote for 338 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 4: my wife which she was dying, which is piano solo 339 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 4: is called Life. 340 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 5: And after I recording it, we both cried together. 341 00:20:55,880 --> 00:21:06,400 Speaker 7: That's oh. 342 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 5: And she was listening to her on the phone. My 343 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:15,920 Speaker 5: son always called her if she heard it. It's called life. 344 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 5: Got a fool? 345 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 8: What are you thinking about? 346 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 7: Oh? 347 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,160 Speaker 9: That was my girlfriend for sixty two years. I'm thinking 348 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 9: back there, I'm thinking about it right there. She told 349 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 9: me it wasn't you have no idea how bless you are. 350 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 4: People work very hard to buy it by save money 351 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:01,639 Speaker 4: to buy a ticket to go see you play to 352 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,200 Speaker 4: What you have to do is be on time always. 353 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:05,880 Speaker 5: Punctuality is class. 354 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 4: Dress as best as you can, look, as best as 355 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:12,240 Speaker 4: you can, do your trills so you can play better. 356 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 4: Unless you got closes it and start with the jokes. 357 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 4: You're a lot a fucking comedian. 358 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 2: Thank you for those words of wisdom and for leaving 359 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 2: that image in our mind. 360 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 4: And I wish you the very best at what you're doing. 361 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 4: And I'm extremely proud of what you're doing. And whenever 362 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:41,640 Speaker 4: you need me, I'll come back and say. 363 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 8: Hello, thank you so much. 364 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 5: And you made me cry. 365 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 8: I know you made me cry. 366 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 2: That was the celebrated pianist and musician Eddie Palmieri. He 367 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:07,120 Speaker 2: passed away earlier this month. He was eighty eight years 368 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:11,160 Speaker 2: old and he rest in peace. But actually knowing Eddie, 369 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 2: he's jamming up there, he is jamming. This episode was 370 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:42,640 Speaker 2: produced by Antonia Serejuido and Marlon Bishop, with help from 371 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 2: Jaquin Coddler. It was edited by Marlon Bishop and mixed 372 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:51,159 Speaker 2: by Stephanie Lebau. The Latino USA team also includes Rosa 373 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 2: Na Guire, Julia Caruso, Renaldo Lanos Junior, Andrea Lopez Grusado, 374 00:23:56,240 --> 00:24:01,639 Speaker 2: Ruis Luna, Rodimr Marquez, Julieta Martinelli, Monica, Ralis Garcia, JJ 375 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:05,400 Speaker 2: Krubin and Nancy Trujillo. Bennille Amidas and I are co 376 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,399 Speaker 2: executive producers and I'm your host Mariano Hossa. Latino USA 377 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:13,520 Speaker 2: is part of Iheart's Mike Urdura podcast Network. Executive producers 378 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 2: at iHeart are Leo Gomez and Arlene Santana. Join us 379 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 2: again on our next episode. In the meantime, I'll see 380 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 2: you on social media. Dear listener, come on now. 381 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 7: You know it. 382 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 1: If you want to skip through the ads and get 383 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 1: to the need. 384 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 2: Of it all, just join fuduo Plus. It's so easy, 385 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 2: you'll be so happy, and you'll be supporting fuduo media 386 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 2: at a time when we really need it. You heard, 387 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:39,000 Speaker 2: I Know's Ben moos Baye. 388 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:44,240 Speaker 3: Latino USA is made possible in part by the John D. 389 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:50,159 Speaker 3: And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Heising Simons Foundation, Unlocking Knowledge, 390 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:57,360 Speaker 3: opportunity and possibilities more at hsfoundation dot org and Agnes 391 00:24:57,440 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 3: Gund