Overview

• Palmieri died on August 6 at his New Jersey home at age 88, as confirmed by Fania Records and his daughter Gabriela.
• He founded La Perfecta in 1961 and introduced a two-trombone format that reshaped the early salsa sound.
• He became the first Latino to win a Grammy in 1975 for The Sun of Latin Music and went on to receive multiple Grammys alongside honors such as the NEA Jazz Masters Award and a Latin Recording Academy lifetime achievement award.
• Health problems prompted him to cancel a planned mid-2025 New York concert, reflecting the challenges he faced in his final months.
• Fellow artists including Bobby Cruz and La India praised his mentorship and innovation, noting that his departure leaves a void in salsa and Latin jazz.