Along with
Willie Colon, brother
Charlie Palmieri, and other Fania and Tico label artists,
Eddie Palmieri helped forged the innovative mix of salsa, boogaloo, jazz, soul, and rock that helped define the New York-Latin sound of the '70s and '80s. The '60s, though, found
Palmieri mostly focused on Cuban and Puerto Rican music and jazz. A high point for
Palmieri during this fruitful period certainly must be his Tico release
Molasses: a fine record that has salsa both frenetic ("Campesino (El Pregon de la Montana)") and even keeled ("Tiradote Flores"), as well as percussion-heavy descargas ("Bombonsito de Pozo"). The set also includes evocations of important figures like
Palmieri's former boss and smooth, Latin-big band leader
Tito Rodriguez (the mid-tempo mambo "Traguito") and salsa pioneer Arsenio Rodriguez (the raw, Afro-Cuban vocal and percussion attack of "Carnival en Camaguey"). And for even more variety, a straight pop rendition of the
Andre Previn standard "You're Gonna Hear From Me" is included. Throughout the set,
Palmieri shows off his considerable,
McCoy Tyner-inspired piano chops. His band is equally impressive, especially vocalist
Ismael Quintana, percussionist
Manny Oquendo, and trombonists
Barry Rogers and
Jose Rodrigues (the latter two being part of
Palmieri's signature two trombone and flute front line).
Molasses is one of the many excellent titles in the
Palmieri catalog and certainly one of the Latin master's best recordings from the '60s. ~ Stephen Cook