Palmieri gets highest US jazz honor

The National Endowment for the Arts announced that Palmieri, pianist-songwriter Mose Allison and alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson were selected as its 2013 Jazz Masters.

The owner of New York’s iconic Village Vanguard jazz club, Lorraine Gordon, will receive the Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy.

Palmieri has mixed jazz with the music of his native Puerto Rico. He began his career as a pianist before forming his own innovative Latin jazz orchestras.

Allison has seen his blues-imbued songs covered by rock musicians such as The Who, The Clash and Van Morrison.

Donaldson helped shape the hard bop of the 1950s. His recordings with organist Jimmy Smith led to the groove-filled soul jazz of the ‘60s and ‘70s.