Eddie Palmieri, the legendary Grammy Award-winning Latin composer and pianist renowned for his revolutionary influence in Latin jazz and salsa, has died at 88.

The Latin jazz icon passed away at his residence in New Jersey on August 6, where he had lived for years with his late wife of 60 years, Iraida Palmieri.

Palmieri’s death was announced in a statement via his official Instagram account. The post read, “One of the most influential figures in Latin music history passed away in his New Jersey residence on August 6, at the age of 88. He was predeceased by his wife of 60 years, Iraida Palmieri, whom he lovingly called ‘Mi Luz Mayor’, his constant companion and greatest source of strength.”

Palmieri was born on December 15, 1936, into a Puerto Rican family in New York City.

Raised in the Bronx, he was deeply influenced by his older brother, Charlie Palmieri, a celebrated pianist and bandleader. At the age of 11, Eddie was playing the piano, and in his late teens, he joined bands, quickly making a name in Afro-Caribbean and jazz music.

He rose to fame in the early 1960s after forming his band, La Perfecta, which revolutionised Latin music by blending jazz harmonies with traditional Latin rhythms.

Throughout his six-decade career, Palmieri won ten Grammy Awards, including the first-ever Grammy for Best Latin Recording in 1975 for his album “The Sun of Latin Music”.

He was also a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award, the highest honour in American jazz.