Eddie Palmieri coming to Australia
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: | HOW I CONVINCED THE GREATEST LATIN JAZZ MUSICIAN TO COME TO AUSTRALIA Our interview with Blair Stafford tour agent. Interview by Alexander Cork. 13 February 2012 The only convincing you should need to hunt down any remaining tickets to see the legendary Eddie Palmieri is this: “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity in Australia, he’s retiring in 2014 and he’s not coming back.” That’s Blair Stafford – Director of the Straightup Agency and the man responsible for getting the 75-year-old Palmieri to tour Australia. It was during a regular trip to Japan that Stafford, a musician, DJ, dancer and promoter, first saw Palmieri perform at the Blue Note Jazz Club in Tokyo. |
| After the show, Stafford pushed his way through the crowd and introduced himself to Palmieri – that was five years ago. “To get him out here, I just kept talking.” A long history of phone calls between Stafford and Palmieri’s son finally found a gap in Palmieri’s hectic touring schedule and Stafford can’t wait to see the shows again. “He’s virtuosic, not just his percussive piano style but he’s contribution to Latin music, it’s on par with what James brown did with funk and Miles Davis did with jazz. For me, he’s always been a Don.” Palmieri’s concerts are as full of musicianship, entertainment and flare as when he first took to the stage in his uncle’s orchestra at only 13-years-old in the 1950s. “From when he started out in the late 50s and playing in the big band of the day and then when he started his own band, he changed the way salsa music was arranged by adding second trombone and a flautist. It changed the way everybody from Tito Puente to Machito formed their orchestra,” Stafford said. Palmieri now has a discography of 36 albums with more to come and each one is fresh and different. His versatility has seen him win nine Grammy awards and cross the boundaries into soul and funk making the Harlem River Drive album with Aretha Franklin’s band. Stafford describes Palmieri as a “chameleon” of the Latin American music scene. “He’s always been able to stretch the limits of what he plays but he’s always been true to his Afro-Cuban roots,” Stafford said. Palmieri brings with him a sextet of the highest calibre, including award winning trumpeter, Brian Lynch. The venues had to be carefully selected to meet the requirements of the Latin scene, “I’d be lynched by the Latin scene if they couldn’t dance!” Stafford said. Read more about Eddie's career visit www.eddiepalmierimusic.com Tickets are selling fast to the Perth and Melbourne concert. Adelaide concert will be held outdoors and is a free event. Check out the Latinlover website for more information about the amazing Eddie Palmieri and more details of the shows.  TICKET SELLING FAST Don't miss this once in life time opportunity! Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth Concerts. FULL TOUR PROGRAM HERE |