This Palmieri outing concludes his contract with RMM and, unlike its salsa predecessor, El Rumbero del Mundo, is essentially a Latin jazz effort. Recorded live at Hostos Community College in New York, the friends joining Palmieri include trumpeter Juancito Torres, bongocero Anthony Carillo, and trombonists Juan Pablo Torres and Jimmy Bosch. The other musicians are part of Palmieri’s excellent working band, and include vocalist Herman Oliveros, conguero Paoli Mejias Ramos, and timbalero Jose Clausell. The opener, “Palo Pa Rumba” from his 1984 release of the same name, is a brilliant example of Palmieri’s rhythmic power, his understanding of the individual gifts of his musicians, and his bracing approach to arranging. Other cuts, there are five in all, three over 10 minutes long, are from the albums Mozambique (1965), Palmas (1994), and Vortex (1996).
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