Jazz pianist Ramon Valle has a palpable enthusiasm for life — and more especially for jazz. Raised in Cuba, he was surrounded by the sound of improvised street music. Ramon's grandpa introduced him to the music of classical giants during the day, and his father played records by Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong while sharing milk and chocolate by night.

Those recordings were Ramon's jazz piano teacher. He listened so many times that he could sing them by heart. When a chance encounter with a professional jazz musician lead to an invitation to Europe, Ramon jumped at the chance. After his first European tour, Ramon realized he needed to stay in order to pursue his musical dreams. He's made Holland his home ever since.

Over the years, Ramon has learned many lessons about performing. The most important lesson? Surrendering to the music — let the music speak for itself. Ramon says, "When we play with ego, we play music from yesterday. You can't be present when you have an ego."

Listen to the full interview with Ramon Valle to learn more about his musical path. He opens up about the music of his native Cuba and the inspiration behind his album Inner State.⁠

Learn more about Ramon Valle at his website. You can find Inner State anywhere you stream music — it's also available for purchase from Amazon Music.

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