Eddie Palmieri & the Afro-Caribbean Jazz All Stars, Ronnie Scott’s, London

Eddie Palmieri was born in Spanish Harlem in 1936, 10 years after his parents left Puerto Rico. Raised in the Bronx, he started playing gigs as a percussionist in his early teens but by the mid-1950s was making his name as a pianist and establishing himself as a key figure in Latin jazz, forming his own band, La Perfecta, in 1961. While others might have played with more panache, Palmieri’s blend of percussive power and flowing jazz was by far the most soulful, and has since won him a hatful of awards.

His current band strips the formula to its essentials by adding extra percussion to a classic quintet. Trumpet and alto sax deliver hip voicings with a razor-sharp edge, two percussionists spin a web of rhythm, and double bass is the anchor. Led by Palmieri’s artful piano, each element fits neatly into a hypnotic, rhythmically compelling whole. At times the momentum that accumulated bordered on the ecstatic, yet there was room for numerous false climaxes, trenchant solos and moments of tranquillity.

Palmieri’s opening sequence laid bare his mesmeric piano style. Latin riffs supported offbeat dissonance, soul-jazz trills morphed into atonal runs and lushly harmonised romance adorned the underlying pulse. When the brass did finally arrive, their dramatic entry was answered by a quiet discord.

Later in the gig there were sudden stops and dramatic upward sweeps, percussion dialogues and a sultry ballad. There was also a showcase finale of tricky brass, fanfare stabs and Palmieri’s relentless left hand. But for the most part, lead lines were straightforward, though keenly phrased, and the emphasis was more on rhythmic impulse than harmonic movement. Interest came from the unfolding drama of shifting textures and rhythmic twists and the resourcefulness of the soloists – the band played only seven numbers in two average-length sets.

Palmieri is an endlessly resourceful player who argues with purpose, and the young front line took his lead. Philip Dizak added low-note growls and a breathy sheen to the brassy heart of Latin trumpet and saxophonist Louis Fouché was a cool-toned, blues-rooted contrast. All three added excitement to an already rich palette.

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