"Sonora Carruseles"
"Sonora Carruseles"
Charlie Palmieri (Born:1927 in New York City- Died:1988 in New York City,
the older brother of Eddie Palmieri) was every bit as gifted a pianist as his sibling, very percussive and responsive to rhythm while also flashing florid passages that were clearly the product of a classical education. His piano studies began at seven and he attended the Juilliard School of Music, turning pro at 16.
He started the group el Conjunto Pin Pin in 1948, and then played in a series of ensembles, including those of Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, and Pupi Campo before forming his own Charanga Duboney group in 1958. As music director of the Alegre All Stars while recording for the Alegre label in the 1960s, Palmieri stimulated competition among Latin labels like Tico and Fania, which formed their own all-star bands in response.
Like many Latin jazz artists of the time, Palmieri flirted with the popular Latin boogaloo style in the 1960s and made some records for major labels like RCA Victor and Atlantic.
"Latin Bugalu" suffers from the usual affliction of New York Latin albums. By the time the recording is made, times have changed and the artist has moved on to something new. The boogaloos here are better than average, and even first-rate in the case of Frank Ross' "Bugalu." The best of these all-out jams are mambos played at a frenetic pace.