Charlie Palmieri

Carlos Manuel "Charlie" Palmieri (November 21, 1927 – September 12, 1988) was an American bandleader and musical director of salsa music. He was known as the "Giant of the Keyboards".

In 1943, when still only 16 years old and still in high school, he made his professional debut as a piano player for the Osario Selasie Band.

Musical career In October 1947, Tito Puente, the musical director of the Fernando Álvarez Band, was impressed with Palmieri and hired him to play for his band at the Copacabana Club; here he played with Puente until 1953 and, during the 1950s, he played with various bands.

Palmieri worked for several years in Chicago, but returned to New York and formed a band called Charanga La Duboney.

Among the artists Palmieri worked with at one time or another were his brother Eddie, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Herbie Mann, Ismael Rivera, Rafael Cortijo, Ismael Quintana, Bobby Capó, Mongo Santamaría, Cal Tjader, and Ray Barretto.

Another notable friend and colleague of Palmieri's, as well as a great admirer, was the late Clare Fischer, who chose to kick off his 1989 album, Lembranças (Remembrances), with "C.P.", a piece dedicated to the composer's recently departed role model. In Fischer's words: "C.P. - Charlie Palmieri - is dedicated to the wonderfully exciting pianist whom I have idolized for years! Charlie left us last year and the sadness I felt shows itself in some of the segments interspersed among the more spirited sections. We will miss him!"

Discography Albums

Easy Does It (1959) El Gigante (1962) (aka Ravel's Bolero in Mambo) (1995) Cuban Rhythms (1948) (tracks by Peruchin recorded in 1951) Charanga (1959) (aka Let's Dance the Charanga) (1960) (featuring Johnny Pacheco) Pachanga at the Caravana Club (1960) Performed at the Bronx Opera House Viva Palmieri (1961) Salsa Na' Ma', Vol. 3 (1963) Salsa y Charanga Tengo Máquina y Voy a 60 (1965) Either You Have It Or You Don't (1966) Hay Que Estar En Algo / Either You Have It Or You Don't (1967) Latin Bugalú (1968) Adelante Gigante (1973) El Gigante del Teclado (1974) Electro Duro (1974) Impulsos (Coco Records, 1975) Vuelve el Gigante (1975) The Heavyweight (1978) Con Salsa y Sabor (1977) A Giant Step (1984) Mambo Show (1990) (aka The Ensemble of Latin Music Legends) Alegre All-Stars Vol. 1 (1961) Alegre All-Stars Vol. 2 - El Manicero (1964) Alegre All-Stars Vol. 3 - Lost and Found (1965) Alegre All-Stars Vol. 4 - Way Out (1966) Alegre All-Stars Vol. 5 - They Don't Make 'Em Like Us Anymore (1976) Alegre All-Stars Vol. 6 - Perdido/Te Invita (1977) (2008) Cesta All Stars Vol. 1 - (1975) Cesta All Stars Vol. 2 - (1976)

Contributing artist The Rough Guide to Salsa (1997, World Music Network) With Ray Barretto La Cuna (CTI Records, 1979) With Herbie Mann The Family of Mann (Atlantic, 1961) Latin Mann (Columbia, 1965) ' With Cal Tjader Primo (Fantasy, 1973)With Israel "Cachao" López Cachao y Su Descarga '77' (Salsoul, 1977)With Machito Orchestra Fireworks (Coco Records, 1977)With Tito Puente Para Los Rumberos (Tico, 1972)With Mon Rivera Que Gente Averigua (Alegre, 1963)With Celia Cruz Son Con Guaguanco (Tico, 1966)With Tico Alegre All Stars Descargas Live at the Village Gate (Tico, 1966)With Eddie Palmieri''' Harlem River Drive (Rhino, 1971) Vamonos Pal' Monte (Tico, 1971) Live at Sing Sing with the Harlem River Drive (Tico, 1972) Live in Concert at the University of Puerto Rico (Coco Records, 1973) Lucumi, Macumba, Voodoo'' (Sony, 1978)