Known as one of the finest pianists of the past 60 years, Eddie Palmieri is a bandleader, arranger, and composer of salsa and Latin jazz. His playing skillfully fuses the rhythm of his Puerto Rican heritage with the complexity of his jazz influences: Thelonious Monk, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner as well as his older brother, Charlie Palmieri. Palmieri perfected his arranging skills in the 1970’s releasing several impressive recordings that reflected his unorthodox approach to music. His unconventional style would once again surprise critics and fans with the 1970 release entitled “Harlem River Drive.” This recording was the first to merge what were categorized as “Black” and “Latin” music into a free-form sound that encompassed elements of salsa, funk, soul and jazz. In 1975, Palmieri won the first-ever GRAMMY for Best Latin Recording for The Sun of Latin Music (he’s won ten GRAMMYs altogether to date), including two for his influential recording with Tito Puente, Obra Maestra/Masterpiece. Recognizing Palmieri as an American icon, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, recorded two of Palmieri’s performances for its archives. In addition to the GRAMMYs, Palmieri has received numerous honors: Eubie Blake Award; Most Exciting Latin Performance, presented by the BBC in London; Yale University’s Chubb Fellowship, usually reserved for international heads of state, but given to Palmieri in recognition of his work building communities through music; Harlem Renaissance Award; and the Jay McShann Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2013, Eddie Palmieri was awarded the coveted Jazz Master award by the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA). The NEA Jazz Master award is the highest honor an American Jazz artist can receive and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences.