Saturday, December 1, 2012

Palmieri and Lynch find simpatico rhythm in Latin jazz

By Rebecca Cline Howard | Special to The Tribune


Eddie Palmieri may be on his 75th-birthday tour, but the musician — like his music — still exudes youthful energy. "I was taught that after 50, you start counting by one again, so I’m going to be turning 26 on my next birthday," he joked.
With high spirits and high energy, the Latin jazz musician will be teaming up with trumpeter Brian Lynch for a performance with the JazzSLC series at the Capitol Theatre on Saturday.
Lynch said he’s been playing with Palmieri "forever" — actually 25 years — although in the beginning it was as a member of his salsa orchestra. "Now our relationship in this jazz quartet is more of a co-leader one, although I’m still very much the junior partner," he said.
Palmieri agreed. "Brian Lynch has been with me two centuries. He looks great for being 200 years old. He’s just an incredible musician — a great trumpet player."
Lynch and Palmieri’s teamwork received formal recognition when their CD "Simpatico" won a 2006 Grammy in the Latin Jazz category. Lynch is known for being strongly rooted in straight-ahead jazz, but he’s also firmly entrenched in the Latin scene, said local jazz musician Jay Lawrence, who teaches jazz classes at local universities. "He’s just a strong, high-note trumpet player with great jazz chops."
For the upcoming concert, both musicians will play in a quartet that includes drummer Dafnis Prieto and bassist Boris Kozlov. "These are great, great musicians," Palmieri said. "When I talk to you about great, they are great."
Lawrence labeled Prieto as one of the country’s best drummers, "primarily because he can do everything, but he’s especially gifted in the Afro-Cuban tradition."
Palmieri thinks the chemistry of the musicians makes the music better. "The variations that we do melodically and the variations that we do rhythmically are quite interesting and we’re certainly going to excite you by listening to us."
While Palmieri and Lynch might be "simpatico" together, the bulk of their careers have been built as independent artists.
Palmieri was recently named the 2013 National Endowments for the Arts Jazz Master, the recognition coming after a lifetime of achievement. He is best known for blending sophisticated jazz influences — like Thelonious Monk, Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner — into a solid Puerto Rican Latin Jazz base.
Read more on: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment2/55372610-223/jazz-palmieri-latin-lynch.html.csp

Latino music legend and nine-time Grammy winner Eddie Palmieri performing "Oyelo Que Te Conviene." Check out Eddie Palmieri and his Salsa Orchestra at the Plaza Guadalupe on Saturday, August 27, 2011. Tickets are only $15 until August 15 and $20 General Admission. Celebrate the ritmo of San Antonio with the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center! Video by Borres Productions.

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