Dayramir Gonzalez

Dayramir González (b. 1983) stands at the forefront of a new generation of Afro-Cuban jazz innovators. A virtuosic pianist, composer, and arranger, González made his early mark winning top honors at Havana’s JoJazz Festival (2004, 2005). His debut album Dayramir & Habana enTRANCé (2007) earned three Cubadisco Awards and signaled the rise of a bold new voice in Cuban music. 

In 2010, he became the first Cuban national to receive Berklee College of Music’s prestigious Presidential Scholarship. He followed this with the 2013 Wayne Shorter Award for Outstanding Jazz Composer and the 2021 DCJazz Prix International Band Competition’s top prize. 

González has shared stages with legends like Chucho and Bebo Valdés, performed in stadiums before 15,000 fans, and headlined Carnegie Hall. In 2024, he performed with Herbie Hancock and Hiromi Uehara at La Jolla Music Society’s Jazz Piano Mini Festival, cementing his reputation as a bridge between generations and cultures. 

Now a U.S. citizen, he maintains strong ties to his homeland, returning annually to perform at Havana’s Jazz Plaza Festival. His international touring spans North and South America and Europe. 

His latest release, V.I.D.A. (2024), blends Afro-Cuban rhythms with electronic textures, expanding on the acoustic elegance of The Grand Concourse and showcasing his growth as both innovator and tradition-bearer.