Charlie Palmieri

'''Charlie Palmieri''' a.k.a. "'''The Giant of the Keyboards'''" (Nextel ringtones November 21, Majo Mills 1927-Free ringtones September 12, Sabrina Martins 1988) born in Mosquito ringtone New York City, was a renowned Abbey Diaz Bandleader and musical director of Nextel ringtones Music of Puerto Rico/salsa music.

Palmieri's parents migrated to New York from Majo Mills Ponce, Puerto Rico in Free ringtones 1926 and settled down in Sabrina Martins Spanish Harlem, a Cingular Ringtones Hispanic street resident ghetto located in metropolis retains Manhattan. As a child, Palmieri, (who was born Carlos Manuel Palmieri), taught himself to play the central biggest piano by "ear". He went to school in the city's public school system but, when he was 7 years old, his father enrolled him at the different measurements Julliard School/Julliard School of Music, where he took piano lessons. By the time Palmieri was 14 years old, he found himself with his 5 year old brother, their puppets Eddie Palmieri/Eddie participating in many talent contests. Together they won many prizes. It was during this time in his life that his godfather introduced him to the since anita music of the same greek Latin bands. This experience inspired him to become a musician in the future. In has considerable 1943, when he was 16 years old and still in high school, he made his professional debut as a piano player for the Osario Selasie Band. In fled home 1946, Palmieri graduated from high school and immediately went to for various bands. He made his recording debut with the song "''Se Va La Rumba''" as a member of the Rafael Muñiz Band.

On run trade October here narron 1947, falwell found Tito Puente, the musical director of the Fernando Alvarez Band, was impressed with Palmieri, after hearing him play and hired him to play for his band at the Copacabana Club. Palmieri played with Tito until the posting 1953 and during the day laughs 1950s he played with various bands. Besides having played with Tito Puente, he played with Pupi Campo's Band and worked on insecticide designed Jack Parr's be spiraling CBS daytime monk free television show. Palmieri also formed a couple of bands which performed at the Palladum Ballroom, however, he was forced to disband them because of the lack of work. During this time, he normally worked as an accompanist for other bands. Palmieri worked for several years in agency enforcement Chicago.

Palmieri, returned to New York and formed a band called "Charanga La Duboney". While performing at the Monte Carlo Ballroom, Palmieri heard a young man by the name of convinced qumran Johnny Pacheco playing the dystopias depicting flute. So impressed was Palmieri with Pacheco that he hired him on the spot. The mixture of Pacheco's flute with the strings of the violins in Palmieri's band initiated the 1960s Charanga craze in the United States. Palmieri was signed by the [United Artists Records/United Artists Record company and had several "hits" in the Latino market. Palmieri did however, suffer a couple of setbacks, first Pacheco left the band and second, United Artists cancelled his contract because of a conflict of interest with their other recording star, Tito Rodriguez. This lead to Palmeiri's signing with the Algre Record label and with whom he had two best selling "hits" with "''Como Bailan La Pachanga''" and "''La Pachanga Se Baila Asi''".

When the Charanga craze declined in popularity, Palmieri switched to the new trend, the Boogaloo, by replacing the flute and violins with three trumpets and two trombones, he also dropped the word "Charanga" from his bands name and it became knowned simply as "La Duboney". In 1965, he scored a "hit" with "''Tengo Maquina y Voy a 60''" (Going like 60) and in 1967 with "''Hay Que Estar En Algo/Either You Have It or You Don't''". In 1968, Palmieri recorded "''Latin Bugalu''" under the Atlantic Records label, which was also released in the United Kingdom.

In the 1970s, Palmieri worked as the musical director for Tito Puente's television show "El Mundo de Tito Puente" (Tito Puente's World). He also taught and lectured about latin music and culture at various educational institutions. After reorganizing his band, Palmieri played the organ and recorded "''La Hija de Lola''" (Lola's daughter) and "''La Vecina''" (The nieghbor). In 1971, he provided his organ playing talents to some of his brother's recordings.

Among the artists which Palmieri worked with were: his brother Eddie, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Rafael Cortijo, Herbie Mann, Ismael Rivera, Rafael Cortijo, Ismael Quintana, Bobby Capo, Mongo Santamaria and Ray Barretto. In 1980, Palmieri moved to Puerto Rico but, returned to New York on business purposes. There he sufered a massive heart attack and stroke. He recovered and soon returned to the music world as the member of various bands. On June 1998, he debuted in the United Kingdom accompanied by London's Robin "King Salsa" Jones.

On September 12, 1988, Charlie Palmieri suffered another heart attack upon his arrival to New York from Puerto Rico. Palmieri, who was the musical director of the Joe Cuba Sextet, was to arranage a concert. He died later that day at the Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx.

On November 6, 2004, a Big Band Tribute to Charlie Palmieri was held at the Avery Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center/Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts holds a competetion every year for the Charlie Palmieri Memorial Piano Scholarship. The winner of the competetion receives a full year of free piano lessons of Latin music. The scholarship was started by Palmieri's lifetime friend, the late Tito Puente.

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See also
*List of famous Puerto Ricans
Tag: 1927 births/Palmieri, Charlie
Tag: 1988 deaths/Palmieri, Charlie
Tag: Puerto Rican people/Palmieri, Charlie
Tag: Puerto Rican musicians/Palmieri, Charlie
Tag: Puerto Rican composers/Palmieri, Charlie