Search - Eddie Palmieri :: Listen Here

Eddie Palmieri's crowning achievement

Jan P. Dennis | Monument, CO USA | 06/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The 68-year-old Mr. Palmieri, celebrating 50 years in the music business with this release, has lost none of his fire even as he's achieved a gravitas and presence without peer in Latin Jazz. Combining an approach that draws from the masters of 20th century jazz piano, including Bud Powell, Horace Silver, Thelonius Monk, and McCoy Tyner--and even younger players like Hilton Ruiz and Danilo Perez--in the end he carves out a place for himself that is uniquely his own.



It helps to have a working band comprising some of the very finest jazz musicians on the scene today: Brian Lynch (trumpet); Conrad Herwig (trombone), Donald Harrison (alto sax), John Benitez (bass), Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez (drums), and Giovanni Hildago (congas). Add to that guest appearances by Michael Brecker (tenor sax), Regina Carter (violin), John Scofield (acoustic and electric guitar), David Sanchez (tenor sax), Nicholas Payton (trumpet), and Christian McBride (bass), and you have a musical assemblage of astounding range and expression. Combine all the above with some brilliantly chosen standards and some very attractive Palmieri originals, killer arrangements full of surprise, nuance, and exuberance, a very high level of commitment by all the players (no one's mailing in their chops here!), and a recording of extreme clarity and brilliance, and you have, I think it can be said without contradiction, one of the very finest discs of Latin jazz every recorded.



I especially like the way the leader has organized the program: the originals and standards, the slower numbers and more up-tempo ones--all flowing together in almost suite-like fashion. And he gives the guest soloists quite different and challenging settings to strut their stuff. Brecker, who seems to be popping up almost everywhere lately, delivers some very powerful playing on his two guest spots, as do Carter (with a crazy pizzicato solo) and Scofield (playing some mind-boggling acoustic on "La Gitana"). But the biggest surprise for me is David Sanchez, a ridiculously talented player who never seems to have found exactly the right context for his prodigious chops. He ends up nearly stealing the show with his playing on "Tin Tin Deo," the old Dizzy gem.



What sets this disc apart, finally, is not just the level of musicianship. It's the masterful tempi variations, the brilliant palette of musical colors, and the stunning arrangements. Latin jazz too often can begin to sound all the same, kind of like one big wall of dancing horns and percussion assaulting the weary listener. Not here. There's such tonal and rhythmic variety that one is treated to a veritable banquet of musical offerings, all inventively prepared and served. The result is aural gustation of uncommon pleasure.



Sure to be a disc gracing many top ten lists at year's end."

Listen Here to Eddie's Best "Latin Jazz"

M. Murphy | birmingham, alabama United States | 09/21/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"With "Listen Here" the "latin monk" Eddie Palmieri explores his jazzier roots with guests soloists and his excellent working band with great sucess. It's fun and upbeat[like Eddie] but it is NOT big band latin jazz. For that turn to Eddie's cd's "La Perfecta" and "Obra Maestra". This cd has more of a small unit jazz flavor with several jazz standards[Monk,Silver] and Eddie originals. Frankly to my ears the originals work better.Regina Carter[violin] burns on "In Flight" and sax player Michael Brecker[who is very ill by the way] cooks on "Listen Here". Listen Here seems to work best with the pared down units in the several formats presented here. Eddie's percussive Monk-like piano playing is particually interesting on La Gitano with great subtle accoustic guitar work by John Scofield. Fans of Eddie's big band latin jazz may be dissapointed or suprised[I was pleasently] but this is Eddie reaching and stretching his art. I hope he cotinues to evolve. Heck he's only 68 years old! Reccommended."

Fabulous Latin Jazz

R. M. Wagner | 03/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is my favorite Latin Jazz album to date. It is true that this is not the typical tropical big band sound. However, if you like variety (the first track includes jazz violin) and sheer musical talent, you should at least listen to the album samples."