Eddie Palmieri’s landmark album “Live at Sing Sing” celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Recorded in 1972 at Sing Sing prison, the performance was a powerful statement on social justice, reflecting the heightened awareness of systemic oppression during that era. The event, attended by Black and Latino inmates, underscored the role of music in advocating for prisoner rights and critiquing mass incarceration. Palmieri’s activism extended beyond this concert, with performances at other prisons to support inmate rehabilitation and growth. Source: Kurland, John. "Eddie Palmieri’s ‘Live at Sing Sing’ Turns 50 This Year." The Washington Post, April 19, 2022. Read the...

August 19, 2016 by SURAYA MOHAMED • Different Tiny Desk performers pop up in NPR Music's workspace just about every week, and frequently more often than that. While every artist is special, it's rare to have a true legend come through. Eddie Palmieri is that once-in-a-lifetime musician, bandleader, composer and arranger. An icon for both modern and Latin jazz, he continues to break tradition and innovate within many musical styles, including salsa, fusion, Latin funk and more. His parents were born in Puerto Rico and later moved to New York City; Eddie Palmieri was born in Spanish Harlem and grew...

Eddie Palmieri, a renowned pianist, bandleader, and composer, was named a 2013 NEA Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts. Known for his innovative fusion of Latin rhythms and jazz influences, Palmieri's career spans over five decades. His work with his band, La Perfecta, introduced groundbreaking sounds that have significantly influenced Latin jazz. Palmieri has received numerous awards, including ten Grammy Awards, and his contributions to music are preserved in the Library of Congress. Source: "Eddie Palmieri." National Endowment for the Arts. Read the full article here.