Eddie Palmieri - Listen Here Eddie PalmieriEddie Palmieri
Listen Here
(Concord - 2006)
by Paula Edelstein

 Seven-time Grammy Award winning Eddie Palmieri is one of the foremost pianists in Latin jazz today and has long been admired by legions of fans around the world. With LISTEN HERE! Palmieri celebrates Concord Picante’s 25th Anniversary as well as his own 50 years in music. His innovative ability to fuse the rhythms of his Latin heritage with the jazz influence of some of America’s most talented jazz pianists makes Palmieri a stylistic innovator and master of the genre.

Guest artists Michael Brecker, Regina Carter, Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, David Sanchez and John Scofield join the maestro on such beautiful bolero ballads as “Tema Para Eydie,” which features Palmieri dueting with John Benitez. In addition to the hot salsa rhythms, Palmieri gets bluesy on“La Gitana” – a flamenco-blues played in trio with John Scofield on acoustic guitar and Benitez on bass. “Mira Flores,” is a waltz featuring Michael Brecker and Christian McBride while the title track, “Listen Here! (made famous by Eddie Harris) features McBride riding a Latin tumbao and hanging outside of the jazz vernacular he’s primarily known for.

“Tin Tin Deo” is a mambo that features David Sanchez but two of the true highlights on this stellar recording is Regina Carter’s excellent violin solo which transitions from treslike pizzicato to stirring arco swing while trumpeter Nicholas Payton blows with audacious authority on a reharmonized version of “Nica’s Dream” and her blistering solos on “In Flight.” This is one great CD and ranks as one of Palmieri’s best. He just keeps getting better with time.


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