Fils de Portoricains, le « salsero » a révolutionné la musique latina en la mélangeant à d’autres rythmes et en la politisant. Il fut le premier artiste latino à gagner un Grammy Awards − il en recevra dix au cours de sa vie.

He roped salsa into conversation with jazz, rock, funk and even modern classical music. “A new world music,” one critic said, “is being born.”

A native son of the Bronx, Palmieri was a crucial innovator in New York’s Afro-Caribbean music history. The pianist, composer and bandleader has died at 88.