RUFFIN: NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT

"Mi Pollo" up and under

IF THERE'S ONE THING THATNEA JAZZ MASTER EDDIE PALMIERI IS CERTAIN OF, IT'S THIS:

PALMIERI: If there's any wisdom that I have, is that I don't guess, I'm gonna excite you with my band. I know it. And that's what kept this band going throughout the years. I knew it intuitively because I studied the Cuban structures. I learned scientifically why it works. And that's because it's tension and resistance. That must be in all the compositions. Like a rotary, it's a ball on a string, centripetal force, you know. To lead to an exciting musical climax, and that you built up when you have a bongo solo, you have from the piano solo to the bongo, to the timbal, you know, you're creating more and more tension. And you're creating more what they call synchronization of that rhythm section. And when that full tutti comes in or the trombones or flute, that's gonna blow you out. And that was my mission.

"Mi Pollo" up and under

TTHIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH 2013 NEA JAZZ MASTER EDDIE PALMIERI WAS PRODUCED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

Excerpt of "Mi Pollo” from the album, La Perfecta composed and   performed by Eddie Palmieri, used courtesy of FANIA music and by permission of The Palmieri Organization (BMI).