TITO PUENTE / EDDIE PALMIERI - Masterpiece / Obra Maestra (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For anyone wondering when the two most luminary voices in New York Latin jazz would finally join forces, even if for just a moment, the 2000 release of Masterpiece/Obra Maestra is the answer. A collaboration between big-band Latino king Tito Puente and salsa/jazz great Eddie Palmieri is the stuff that clave dreams are made of. Both taking turns as writing/conductor/performer, Palmieri and Puente affect each other's artistry in an infinitely satisfying way. Puente fans will delight in the addition of salsa-driven choro and sonero, unquestionably the handiwork of his counterpart. Palmieri enthusiasts will certainly notice and appreciate the indisputably Puente-penned sexy horn lines and band sound. Who but the mighty RMM label could have either conceived or produced such promising pursuit? Like a modern-day Fania, RMM can be credited with some of the most innovative and impacting projects of its time. The band sound is rich and sultry, featuring both the unmistakable virtuosity of Palmieri's solo work and the incendiary fury of Puente, the undisputed timbal master. If there is one flaw to be found in Masterpiece/Obra Maestra, it is that it was not followed up with dozens of more joint ventures from these towering musical giants. by Evan C. Gutierrez  
Tracklist :
1     La Última Copa 5:09
Francisco Canaro / Juan Caruso
2     Muddy's Club Blues in Weinheim 3:24
Eddie Palmieri
3     Cielito Lindo, La Negra Mariachi Medley 5:03
Quirino Mendoza
4     Marchando Bien 4:14
Francisco Aguabella / Eddie Palmieri
5     Picadillo Jam 5:17
Tito Puente
6     El Puente Mundial 5:50
Jerry Medina / Tito Puente
7     El Beso 6:25
Adrian Ortega Marti / Fernanado Moraleda
8     El Bochinche 4:19
Eddie Palmieri / R.M. Prieto
9     Enseñame Tú, Piensalo Bien Bolero Medley 6:45
Roberto Manrique
10     Paris Mambo 4:12
Eddie Palmieri
11     Yambu Pa' Inglaterra 3:56
Eddie Palmieri
12     Itutu Aché 8:01
Eddie Palmieri
Credits :
Acoustic Bass [Guitarón] – Ramón Ponce Jr.
Acoustic Guitar [Vihuela] – Karlo Magno
Backing Vocals – Hermán Olivera, Kevin Ceballo, Nestor Sánchez
Bandoneon [Bandiñon] – Héctor Del Curto
Bass – Bernie Miñoso, Joe Santiago
Bata, Chanter – Milton Cardona
Bongos – Johnny Rodriguez
Bongos, Bata – Javier Oquendo
Castanets [Castonettes] – Luisito Quintero
Conductor – Eddie Palmieri, Ray Santos, Tito Puente
Congas – George Delgado, Johnny Rodriguez, José Claussell
Congas, Bata – Pali Mejias
Drums – Phoenix Rivera
Maracas, Claves – Herman Olivera
Piano – Eddie Palmieri, Sonny Bravo
Producer – Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente
Saxophone – Dioris Rivera, Enrique Fernández, Ivan Rentas, Mario Rivera, Mitch Frohman, Paquito D'Rivera, Pete Miranda, Pete Yellin, Phil Vieux
Timbales – José Claussell, José Madera
Timbales, Other [Vibes] – Tito Puente
Tres – Nelson González
Trombone – Chris Washburne, Conrad Herwig, Lewis Kahn, Reynaldo Jorge
Trumpet – David "Piro" Rodriguez, John Walsh, Nelson Jaime, Ray Vega, Tony Lujan
Violin – Francisco Rios, Leonardo Rios, Mario Mota 

HARLEM RIVER DRIVE - Harlem River Drive (1971-2005) RM / APE (image+.cue), lossless

The reason this record is "legendary" is because it marks the first recorded performances, in 1970, of Eddie and Charlie Palmieri as bandleaders. The reason it should be a near mythical recording (it has never been available in the U.S. on CD, and was long out of print on LP before CDs made the scene), is for its musical quality and innovation. The Palmieris formed a band of themselves, a couple of Latinos that included Andy Gonzales, jazz-funk great -- even then -- Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, and some white guys and taught them how to play a music that was equal parts Cuban mambo, American soul via Stax/Volt, blues, Funkadelic-style rock, pop-jazz, and harmonic and instrumental arrangements every bit as sophisticated as Burt Bacharach's or Henry Mancini's or even Stan Kenton's. One can hear in "Harlem River Drive (Theme)" and "Idle Hands" a sound akin to War's on World Is a Ghetto. Guess where War got it? "If (We Had Peace)" was even a model for Lee Oskar's "City, Country, City." And as much as War modeled their later sound on this one record, as great as they were, they never reached this peak artistically. But there's so much here: the amazing vocals (Jimmy Noonan was in this band), the multi-dimensional percussion section, the tight, brass-heavy horn section, and the spaced-out guitar and keyboard work (give a listen to "Broken Home") where vocal lines trade with a soprano saxophone and a guitar as snaky keyboards create their own mystical effect. One can bet that Chick Corea heard in Eddie's piano playing a stylistic possibility for Return to Forever's Light As a Feather and Romantic Warrior albums. The band seems endless, as if there are dozens of musicians playing seamlessly together live -- dig the percussion styling of Manny Oquendo on the cowbell and conga and the choral work of Marilyn Hirscher and Allan Taylor behind Noonan. Harlem River Drive is a classic because after 30-plus years, it still sounds as if listeners are the ones catching up to it. It's worth every dime you pay for it, so special order it today.
(This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa')
Tracklist :
1     Harlem River Drive (Theme Song) 4:11
Bass – Victor Venegas
Congas – Eladio Perez
Drums – Reggie Ferguson
Guitar – Bob Bianco
Organ – Charlie Palmieri
Timbales – Nick Marrero    
2     If (We Had Peace Today) 3:02
Bass – Gerald Jemmott
Drums – Dean Robert Pratt
Guitar – Cornell Dupree
Trombone – Bruce L. Fowler
Trumpet – Burt Collins    
3     Idle Hands 8:29
Bass – Gerald Jemmott
Congas – Eladio Perez
Drums – Bernard Purdy
Guitar – Cornell Dupree
Saxophone [Tenor] – Dick Meza
Timbales – Nick Marrero
Trombone – Bruce L. Fowler
4     Broken Home 10:37
Bass – Victor Venegas
Congas, Cowbell – Manny Oquendo
Drums – Nick Marrero
Guitar – Bob Bianco
Organ – Charlie Palmieri    
5     Seeds of Life 5:09
Bass – Victor Venegas
Bass [Fender] – Andy Gonzalez
Congas – Eladio Perez
Drums – Bernard Purdy
Guitar [Accompanying] – Cornell Dupree
Guitar [Lead] – Bob Mann
Saxophone [Tenor] – Dick Meza
Timbales – Manny Oquendo
Trombone – Barry Rogers
Trumpet – Randy Brecker
Credits :
Chorus – Allan Taylor, Marilyn Hirscher
Piano – Eddie Palmieri
Producer – Eddie Palmieri, Lockie Edwards
Saxophone [Soprano, Baritone] – Ronnie Cuber
Vocals – Jimmy Norman 

EDDIE PALMIERI / CAL TJADER - Bamboleate (1967-2007) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The second album pairing Palmieri and Tjader, Bamboleate moves beyond El Sonido Nuevo into the respective territories of each artist. "Bamboleate" is the dark Latin cooker ones expects from Palmieri --that persona was all but absent from the more subdued El Sonido Nuevo. "Semejanza" is an equally affecting jazz lilt led by Tjader. Framed by a melody that could have come straight off the Vince Guaraldi Trio's Charlie Brown Christmas album, it has an equally indelible, locomotive rhythm. Tjader's samba, "Samba de Los Suenho," is a welcome departure from the relative rigidity of El Sonido Nuevo. Also vital are the vocal tracks (Palmieri's), but the blatant channel-switching in "Guajira Candela" is an abuse of stereo separation. "Pancho's Seis por Ocho" is typical of the deep, midtempo Afro rhythm of Bamboleate and El Sonido Nuevo. Trombonist Mark Weinstein contributes the closing "Ven y Recibelo (Come an' Get It)," a mod/soul cooker on par with the best of Verve all-stars Tjader, Ogerman, Winding, and Schifrin. Finally, the album was reissued in 1977 as Tico LPS-88806 and distributed by Fania. The reissue at least features illustrations of Tjader and Palmieri by Jose Vargas. by Tony Wilds  
Tracklist :
1     Bamboleate 3:25
Eddie Palmieri
2     We've Loved Before 2:30
Jay Livingston / Henry Mancini
3     Resemblance 5:39
Eddie Palmieri
4     Mi Montuno 5:23
Eddie Palmieri / José Papo Rodríguez
5     Samba Do Sueno 3:53
Cal Tjader
6     Guajira Candela 3:48
Eddie Palmieri
7     Pancho's Seis por Ocho 5:37
Eddie Palmieri
8     Come and Get It 3:02
Mark Weinstein
Credits :
Piano [Uncredited] – Eddie Palmieri
Vibraphone [Uncredited] – Cal Tjader

EDDIE PALMIERI - Vamonos Pa'l Monte [1971] FANIA / FLAC / 2006

Eddie Palmieri's 1971 LP Vamonos Pa'l Monte moves easily from the nearly avant-garde trumpet-battle opener "Revolt/La Libertad Logico" into the new-era-meets-old "Caminando," complete with an excellent electric-piano solo by Palmieri himself. He also takes the lead on the seven-minute title-track jam, this time with organ (backed by brother Charlie), backed by a strong vocal chorus (Justo Betancourt, Santos Colon, Yayo el Indio) and the rugged timbales playing of Nick Marrero. Above and beyond the irresistible arrangements and intricate playing, Vamonos Pa'l Monte benefits from one of the best recording jobs of any early-'70s salsa record, each section -- and practically each musician -- vigorously separated with clear stereo. Though many fans consider it a transition record toward the compositional brilliance of The Sun of Latin Music, it's actually a much better record for fans of traditional salsa. by John Bush
Тracklist:
1. Revolt/La Libertad Logico (5:24)
2. Caminando (3:53)
3. Vamonos Pa'l Monte (7:07)
4. Viejo Socarron (6:10)
5. Yo No Se (4:14)
6. Comparsa de los Locos (7:24)
Credits:
Eddie Palmieri - band leader
Ismael Quintana - vocals
Bob Vianco - guitar
Jose Rodriguez - trombone
Alfredo Armentereos, Victor Paz, Charles Camilleri - trumpets
Ronnie Cuber - baritone saxophone
Pere Yellin - tenor saxophone
Nick Marrero - timbales, bongo
Eladio Perez Perez - conga
Arturo Franquiz - clave, coro
Monchito Munoz - bombo
Chorus:
Santos Colon, Justo Betancourt, Marcelino Guerra, Vayo El Indio, Elliot Ramero, Mario Munoz (Papaito)

EDDIE PALMIERI
Vamonos Pa'l Monte [1971] FANIA
FLAC / 2006

O Púbis da Rosa