By Norm Harris
The York College Foundation recently held its sixth annual scholarship benefit concert starring the Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra. The honoree for the evening was guest speaker Hank Sheinkopf, president of Sheinkopf Ltd.
Sheinkopf, a 1973 York College alumnus, is a political and media consultant with a long list of high-profile clients, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He was introduced to the audience by the master of ceremonies, Odalys Molina, a reporter for Telemundo Neuva York.
Sheinkopf spoke humbly about his “very lucky” career in the public sector where he had the pleasure over the years of traveling stateside and abroad where he met many heads of state from several other countries while representing the United States. He thanked the York College administration and teachers for giving him, “just an ordinary kind of guy,” the opportunity, the tools and privilege to be successful and happy in his adult life.
The Eddie Palmeiri 17-member salsa orchestra led by the maestro himself on electric keyboard performed six extended “caliente” Latino dance numbers that had many of the middle-aged and older patrons literally dancing with their partners in front of and to the left and right sides of the stage. Palmeiri a multi-Grammy-award-winning pianist, internationally revered orchestra leader and recent NEA jazz master, honoree led his orchestra through a set of approximately six extended crowd-pleasing tunes such as “Bilongo,” “Vaminos Palmonte,” “Lindo Yumbu” and the closing tune, “Azucar Pa Ti.”
