Oh, but he is. In fact he is an NEA Jazz Master. He is recognized alongside Herbie Hancock, Roy Haynes, and other Jazz greats who've received said award. His performance tours have predominantly been to Jazz Festivals. In the 1960s & early '70s he was known as an Afro-Cuban dance orchestra leader. Because of the Jazz influences and inflections he inserts into his music he began to be recognized by the Jazz community during the fusion era. He would get booked at a Jazz Festival and flip flop between avant styled repertoire like "The Mod Scene" and then play "Vamonos Pal' Monte." He was the epitome of the Monday Night series at the Village Gate called "Salsa Meets Jazz." Although Eddie himself is not viewed as a Bop pianist in the same manner as Hilton Ruiz, Eddie has surrounded himself with Jazz/Bop musicians who phrase in the Jazz language, over his montunos and Afro Cuban rhythms. From 1993 to about 1997 he made 3 consecutive recordings that fall under the category of "Latin Jazz." PALMAS, ARETE & VORTEX. A return to Salsa in '99 with the grammy nominated Rumbero del Piano did not stop him from recording more Jazz-oriented music. Today, in the U S., outside of outdoor festivals, he only seems to perform exclusively at Jazz clubs (The Blue Note in NYC for example. Or Sculler's in Boston).
Yes, he isn't the first name that pops up when you think of Jazz pianists. But the Jazz musical community and industry respects him. Palmieri's 2006 Grammy winning LISTEN HERE for Best Latin Jazz album featured such Jazz heavyweights as Nicholas Payton, Donald Harrison, David Sanchez, Michael Brecker, John Schofield, Regina Carter, Conrad Herwig, Brian Lynch, and more.
He primary plays Latin jazz and is probably most influential exponent of Jazz into Latin rhythms?
Holy cow!! That post is from 2005. That must be the oldest post I replied to on the forum ever!! 
Though Eddie Palmerie was still a doyen of Latin jazz in 2005
