Dayramir González is a Yamaha Artist, pianist, composer, arranger, educator, and one of the leading voices of contemporary Afro-Cuban piano. A native of Havana, Cuba, his artistry bridges the rich traditions of Cuban classical music, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and modern jazz, creating a deeply personal musical language that has earned international recognition.
His career began with top honors at Havana’s JoJazz Festival before his debut album, Dayramir & Habana enTRANCé (2007), earned three Cubadisco Awards and established him as one of Cuba’s most promising young artists. In 2010, he became the first Cuban national to receive Berklee College of Music’s prestigious Presidential Scholarship, where he further developed his voice as both pianist and composer. He later received the Wayne Shorter Award for Outstanding Jazz Composer and won the DCJazzPrix International Band Competition, affirming his place among the leading artists of his generation.
Since then, González has built an international career performing throughout North America, Europe, Latin America, and Cuba. He has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, SFJAZZ, the Kennedy Center, Monterey Jazz Festival, La Jolla Music Society, London’s EFG Jazz Festival, and Havana’s legendary Jazz Plaza Festival, among many others. Along the way, he has collaborated with artists including Chucho Valdés, Bebo Valdés, Herbie Hancock, Hiromi Uehara, Danilo Pérez, Christian Sands, Emmet Cohen, Omar Sosa, Harold López-Nussa, and Terence Blanchard’s Global Messengers.
Beyond performance, González has become an ambassador for Cuban piano traditions, dedicated to preserving and expanding the instrument’s legacy. His work explores the continuum between nineteenth-century Cuban salon music, Afro-Cuban folklore, classical composition, and contemporary jazz improvisation, presenting Cuban piano as a living art form with global relevance.
His current artistic focus is The Art of the Cuban Piano, an ambitious solo piano project recorded between New York, Havana, and Barcelona. Featuring collaborations with some of today’s most celebrated pianists, the project traces the evolution of Cuban piano across generations while celebrating its influence on modern jazz and classical music. Accompanied by a feature-length documentary filmed in Cuba, Spain, and the United States, the project explores the cultural roots, history, and international impact of Cuban piano through González’s personal journey.
As an educator, González is equally passionate about nurturing the next generation of musicians. Through his online educational programs and the Cuban Jazz Academy, he works to make Afro-Cuban piano traditions more accessible to students worldwide while inspiring young artists to develop their own creative voices.
Whether performing solo, leading his ensembles, or collaborating with internationally acclaimed artists, Dayramir González continues to redefine what contemporary Cuban piano can be—honoring tradition while fearlessly expanding its future. “Mr. Gonzalez is a stunningly gifted composer and arranger.” (The Wall Street Journal).
Photo credit: Hal Massonberg