Eddie Palmieri, a renowned pianist, composer, and Latin music pioneer, has died. He was 88.
According to a statement on his official Instagram page, Eddie died on Wednesday, August 6, in his New Jersey home. The New York Times was the first to report on his demise.
Gabriela Palmieri, the late musician’s youngest daughter, revealed to the magazine that Dad died after “an extended illness.”
“Eddie Palmieri’s legacy goes far beyond accolades,” according to an Instagram post released on August 6. He was a mentor, a teacher, and a passionate supporter of Latin music and culture. He influenced generations of artists and affected many listeners with his skill, commitment, and distinctive sound.”
The message concluded, “Eddie will live on eternally in our hearts for all time’s sake.”
A representative for Eddie has yet to reply to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Eddie was born in New York’s Spanish Harlem district to Puerto Rican parents and grew up in the jazz culture. By the age of 11, he was learning piano and performing at Carnegie Hall. He founded his first band three years later, at the age of fourteen. Eddie’s older brother, Charlie Palmieri, who died in 1988, was a pioneering Latin pianist.
Eddie began his musical career as a pianist with the Eddie Forrester Orchestra in the 1950s. He then joined Johnny Seguí and Tito Rodríguez’s ensembles before founding his own band, La Perfecta, in 1961 with trombonist Barry Rogers and singer Ismael Quintana.
He was regarded as a daring innovator in Latin jazz and salsa, with his percussive piano approach and genre-defying melodies. Eddie produced several albums for Alegre and Tico Records, including the 1971 classic Vámonos pa’l monte, which included his brother Charlie as a guest keyboardist.
Eddie and Lalo Rodríguez released The Sun of Latin Music in 1974, which won the first Latin Grammy the following year.
He won two additional Grammys for his 1984 CD Palo Pa’ Rumba and 1985’s Solito. Eddie also won two Grammy Awards for his 2000 album Masterpiece, which featured Tito Puente, who died that year.
Throughout his career, he received ten Grammy Awards, an NEA Jazz Masters Award, and the Latin Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Throughout his career, he collaborated with notable artists like Nicky Marrero, Israel “Cachao” López, Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros, Lewis Khan, and Bobby Valentín.
The Times reports that Eddie’s survivors include Gabriela, three additional daughters (Renee, Eydie, and Ileana), a son (Edward Palmieri II), and four grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife of 58 years, Iraida (González) Palmieri, who died in 2014.