Carl Palmer(1951-2016)
- Music Department
Carl Palmer, a Kingston, Jamaica native has had a long and successful
career in the music business both as a keyboardist/singer and as a
composer/producer.
Mr. Palmer began his performance career as a keyboardist for the hugely popular live act Baby Huey & The Babysitters, a band who in later years became a major influence on hip hop, at the famed New York night club Cheetah. On a number of occasions he was the backup keyboardist for the First Family of Soul (a moniker later passed on to the Jackson 5), The Five Stairsteps. Joining forces with Johnny Maestro, Mr. Palmer toured as Mr. Maestro's keyboardist and backing vocalist during his metropolitan New York engagements.
Mr. Palmer then joined the A&M Records Sly Stone produced group Abaco Dream as keyboardist and vocalist. The band toured with the Meters, the Magnificent Men and opened for Stevie Wonder's My Cherie Amour Tour. Following the breakup of the group, Mr. Palmer worked with Parliament Funkadelic on their Cosmic Slop Tour as singer/keyboardist.
Palmer then founded his own group in 1975, Klive, which was signed to Mercury Records. They released one album, 'Without The Drummer', with the singles I Wanna Sing/Peace Of Mind [73696] and Something Sweet/Without The Drummer [73781]. The band was managed by Rollins-Joffe, best known today for their long term relationship with Woody Allen.
After the dissolution of Klive, Mr. Palmer played with Mandrill on supporting tours for Dr. John and War. In addition, he played on a number of R&B legend Hank Ballard's late '70s singles. Mr. Palmer then toured for many years with The O'Jays as their keyboardist and backing vocalist.
Mr. Palmer's career took on a new direction when he began co-producing and co-arranging a number of major hit records during the Disco Era. He started his career shift by co-producing with Patrick Adams the Grammy nominated group Musique's single '(Push Push) In The Bush' which received Gold Record certification from RIAA in 1979 followed by Fonda Rae's 'Over Like A Fat Rat' . Mr. Palmer co-produced the albums 'Super Mann' (1978) by Herbie Mann, the Salsoul Orchestra's 'Christmas Jollies II' (1981), and reggae artist Denroy Morgan's 'I'll Do Anything For You' (1981) which peaked at Number 9 on the soul charts and Number 7 on the dance charts. He also produced the single 'Ghost Riders In The Sky' for the ill-fated Saturday Night Live star Garrett Morris' debut album 'Saturday Night Sweet' (1980) and Skyy's album 'Start Of A Romance' (1989).
Mr. Palmer's producing and arranging skills brought him to the attention of Hollywood where he became co-arranger for the David Picker/Harry Belafonte feature BEAT STREET and Motown's production THE LAST DRAGON.
It was during this time that Mr. Palmer became involved in the very lucrative world of advertising. Among his most renown commercial work as writer/co-writer include the CLIO and Andy award winning Dean Witter Reynolds spot 'You Look Like You Heard From Dean Witter', Red Lobster 'Seafood Lover In You', Continental Airlines 'Better Way To Fly', Paul Masson Wines 'We'll Sell No Wine Before Its Time' (the Orson Welles ads) and the Black & Decker Work Mate campaign.
Currently Mr. Palmer has been mentoring the next generation of jazz artists, curating shows for Jazz At Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club Coca Cola working with such performers as Tom McAvoy, Jewlz, John DiMartino and Teneille who had the YouTube smash 'No One Else'.
In recent years, Mr. Palmer has been giving back to the community by becoming a State Certified Substance Abuse Counselor and has worked with St. John's Bread & Life, GMHC and the Cypress Hills Senior Center.
Mr. Palmer began his performance career as a keyboardist for the hugely popular live act Baby Huey & The Babysitters, a band who in later years became a major influence on hip hop, at the famed New York night club Cheetah. On a number of occasions he was the backup keyboardist for the First Family of Soul (a moniker later passed on to the Jackson 5), The Five Stairsteps. Joining forces with Johnny Maestro, Mr. Palmer toured as Mr. Maestro's keyboardist and backing vocalist during his metropolitan New York engagements.
Mr. Palmer then joined the A&M Records Sly Stone produced group Abaco Dream as keyboardist and vocalist. The band toured with the Meters, the Magnificent Men and opened for Stevie Wonder's My Cherie Amour Tour. Following the breakup of the group, Mr. Palmer worked with Parliament Funkadelic on their Cosmic Slop Tour as singer/keyboardist.
Palmer then founded his own group in 1975, Klive, which was signed to Mercury Records. They released one album, 'Without The Drummer', with the singles I Wanna Sing/Peace Of Mind [73696] and Something Sweet/Without The Drummer [73781]. The band was managed by Rollins-Joffe, best known today for their long term relationship with Woody Allen.
After the dissolution of Klive, Mr. Palmer played with Mandrill on supporting tours for Dr. John and War. In addition, he played on a number of R&B legend Hank Ballard's late '70s singles. Mr. Palmer then toured for many years with The O'Jays as their keyboardist and backing vocalist.
Mr. Palmer's career took on a new direction when he began co-producing and co-arranging a number of major hit records during the Disco Era. He started his career shift by co-producing with Patrick Adams the Grammy nominated group Musique's single '(Push Push) In The Bush' which received Gold Record certification from RIAA in 1979 followed by Fonda Rae's 'Over Like A Fat Rat' . Mr. Palmer co-produced the albums 'Super Mann' (1978) by Herbie Mann, the Salsoul Orchestra's 'Christmas Jollies II' (1981), and reggae artist Denroy Morgan's 'I'll Do Anything For You' (1981) which peaked at Number 9 on the soul charts and Number 7 on the dance charts. He also produced the single 'Ghost Riders In The Sky' for the ill-fated Saturday Night Live star Garrett Morris' debut album 'Saturday Night Sweet' (1980) and Skyy's album 'Start Of A Romance' (1989).
Mr. Palmer's producing and arranging skills brought him to the attention of Hollywood where he became co-arranger for the David Picker/Harry Belafonte feature BEAT STREET and Motown's production THE LAST DRAGON.
It was during this time that Mr. Palmer became involved in the very lucrative world of advertising. Among his most renown commercial work as writer/co-writer include the CLIO and Andy award winning Dean Witter Reynolds spot 'You Look Like You Heard From Dean Witter', Red Lobster 'Seafood Lover In You', Continental Airlines 'Better Way To Fly', Paul Masson Wines 'We'll Sell No Wine Before Its Time' (the Orson Welles ads) and the Black & Decker Work Mate campaign.
Currently Mr. Palmer has been mentoring the next generation of jazz artists, curating shows for Jazz At Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club Coca Cola working with such performers as Tom McAvoy, Jewlz, John DiMartino and Teneille who had the YouTube smash 'No One Else'.
In recent years, Mr. Palmer has been giving back to the community by becoming a State Certified Substance Abuse Counselor and has worked with St. John's Bread & Life, GMHC and the Cypress Hills Senior Center.