Dayramir Gonzalez performs at the Jack London

We're honored to be celebrating the acclaimed Cuban pianist, composer and musical ambassador Dayramir González' new album V.I.D.A -Verdad, Independencia, Diversidad y Amor - Truth, Independence, Diversity and Love to be released on this Friday April 12th with a full live celebration by Dayramir and his exceptional group. "The genres of this album lend itself to the Afro Cuban-World-Jazz sound, and is an extension of work that distinguishes this project from the more acoustic sonority of my previous album The Grand Concourse. V.I.D.A's thematic, self-reflective melodies evolved into compositions, arrangements, and orchestrations that celebrate personal triumph over the obstacles and hardships of life with an emphasis and re-focus on hope, joy, beauty and personal expression." V.I.D.A. showcases Gonzalez at the height of his craft as a composer, pianist, and collaborator with an international cast of players at his side, including conga maestro Pedrito Martinez, vocal star Daymé Arocena, and Havana rapper Edrey “Ogguere” Riveri. V.I.D.A. touches on the breadth of Gonzalez’s life and embodies the multifarious nature of Cuban culture. With a unique identity as a forbearer of Cuban music, Gonzalez notes, “I’m Black, I’m Cuban, I’m West African. I’m Yoruba. I studied European classical music. I’m bilingual. I’m a composer, an arranger, an orchestrator. I am a music educator and curriculum owner. I’m a socio-cultural ambassador of Cuba, a Yamaha artist, a father.” Thanks to his own father, Afro-Cuban trumpeter Fabian González, music has always been a driving force in Gonzalez’s life. He attended musical arts schools early and began playing piano professionally at 16. Oscar Valdes, of the legendary Irakere, asked him to be a part of the group Diakara while Gonzalez was still in high school. Next he played with drummer Giraldo Piloto in the group Klimax. He attended the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana for four years and then moved to Boston and Berklee on a full scholarship. While at Berklee, he was signed by Jazz Revelation Records, release an album on the Berklee label, and he received the Wayne Shorter Award. He has also won first place at Cuba’s JoJazz Festival and three Cubadisco Awards for his debut album with his group, Habana enTRANCé. Dayramir González  is known as an advocate for traditional Cuban music, including the danzón. He has performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Havana Jazz Festival, among others. His album Grand Concourse was released to worldwide acclaim in 2018 and he is the co-founder of NYC's Art School of Contemporary Performance and Creativity which provides music education to elementary school students.