MARK RUFFIN: NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT.

"Azucar" up and under

NEA JAZZ MASTER EDDIE PALMIERI’S HARD-CHARGING 1965 RECORDING OF "AZUCAR" WAS A GAME CHANGER. HISTORICALLY, RADIO DJS WOULD ONLY PLAY SONGS THAT RAN 2 MINUTES AND 45 SECONDS…EDDIE PALMIERI

PALMIERI: …And we did it, 8 minutes and 30 seconds.
And I told the gentleman who was the A&R man, that was Artists and Repertoire, "Eddie. Just, just record it. Don't worry about it." Eight minutes and 30 seconds and it became one of the biggest hits ever in our genre.

Azucar up and hot

RUFFIN: AZUCAR IS ON PALMIERI'S BREAKTHROUGH ALBUM, AZUCAR PA' TI. IN 2010, IT WAS ADDED TO THE NATIONAL RECORDING REGISTRY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

This Jazz Moment with PIANIST eddie palmieri was produced by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Excerpt of "Azucar" composed and performed by Eddie Palmieri from his album, Azucar Pa' Ti, used courtesy of FANIA music and by permission of The Palmieri Organization (BMI).