Eddie Palmieri dead: Eight-time Grammy award-winning legend dies aged 88

Eddie Palmieri has died at the age of 88. The rumba and jazz musician died at his home in New Jersey on Wednesday. The musician, a trailblazer in the rumba and Latin jazz genres, enjoyed a illustrious career which spanned 70 years and saw him win eight Grammy Awards. His original, in 1975, was the first time a Latino had ever won a Grammy Award. The prolific pianist enjoyed an illustrious career which spanned over seven decades and was dubbed the "Madman of Salsa". He died following an "extended illness," his daughter, Gabriela, told The New York Times. Palmieri, from Harlem, New York, was a highly-revered pianist and first learned to play the instrument when he was a child. He learned at the age of eight, and his brother Charlie, was a professional pianist. Charlie, known as the Giant of the Keyboards, died in 1988.

Tributes have poured in for the legendary musician on social media. One fan penned: "Such a significant loss for the music community; his contributions will always be remembered." Another remarked: "RIP to an absolute legend." A third admired: "One of my mother's favorite. She had his albums when I was growing up." A fourth penned: "Such a profound loss for the music community; his contributions will never be forgotten." "A giant has left the stage. Eddie Palmieri's rhythms will echo forever in the soul of salsa," a fifth added.

The music legend previously opened up about learning the piano but was fascinated by the drums and decided to play the timbales in his uncle's orchestra.

"It was my mother who put my brother on the instrument and I came along nine years later," Palmieri told The Savannah Morning News in 2009.

"No other brothers or sisters, it was just us. I was quite blessed."

He then changed course and returned to playing the piano. "I'm a frustrated percussionist, so I take it out on the piano," Palmieri said.

The musician played alongside stars such as Johnny Segul and Tito Rodriguez before he launched La Perfecta, his own band, in 1961.

He won his first Grammy Award in 1975 for his album The Sun of Latin Music.

Palmieri scooped another two Grammy Awards in the 1980s. He worked with Tito Puente and their album Masterpiece saw the duo pick up two Grammy gongs.

His final Grammy win came in 2007 for the album Simpatico, which means nice or friendly when translated into English.

He was nominated for 14 Grammy Awards during his music career and released more than 40 albums.

The Latin Recording Academy has led tributes to Palmieri describing him as a "pioneer of salsa" and a "visionary of Latin jazz".

"His talent broke barriers, merging tradition with innovation, and leaving an indelible mark on generations of musicians and music lovers," it said.

"He always had a deep commitment to culture, and his invaluable contributions cemented him as one of the great pillars of the Latin sound worldwide."