Ramón Valle and Maite Hontelé - Musical Tribute to Havana

The concert featuring Dutch flugelhorn player Maite Hontelé and Cuban pianist Ramón Valle is organized by the Jazz Initiative Schwetzingen in close collaboration with the CreActiv e.V. association from Weinheim. On Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 8 PM, Maite Hontelé & Ramón Valle will perform in the Danzisaal of the Schwetzingen Cultural Center. The event is held in cooperation with the Jazz Initiative Schwetzingen and the socio-cultural initiative creActiv / Beyond Blue Connection, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. For a quarter of a century, the Weinheim association has enriched the cultural scene in the metropolitan region and beyond. Its special aim is to inspire people to "look beyond the horizon." "Music projects are particularly suitable for this, especially those that do not operate on the cultural taste highways. We are primarily interested in artists who know the backroads and can provide a panoramic view," says the board of the association, which is based in Berlin, Weinheim, and Zurich. A perfect example of this concept is the Dutch trumpeter Maite Hontelé and the Cuban pianist Ramón Valle. "Our music consists of lively musical dialogues, where we listen to each other with respect, trust each other completely, and express our respective opinions," says Ramón Valle. "These can be serious conversations that end in musical laughter. Chitchats that start playfully but develop into deep dialogues. We play like two children," adds Maite Hontelé. As different as the flugelhorn player from the Netherlands and the keyboard virtuoso from the Caribbean may seem at first glance, they have many things in common. Notably, their expertise. Both are internationally acclaimed instrumentalists, composers, and bandleaders. Maite is a celebrated star in Colombia—where she lived from 2009 to 2018—and the Netherlands. Her five CDs are particularly popular in South America. The trained brass player was nominated for the Latin Grammy in 2014 and 2019. Since 2023, she has been leading the renowned Nationaal Jeugd Jazz Orkest (NJJO). In 2024, the native of Utrecht performed as an ambassador for the Netherlands at "jazzahead" in Bremen with the orchestra. Ramón Valle's reputation is equally prestigious. The pianist comes from a Cuban family of musicians. He began his classical piano studies at the age of seven. At 20, he graduated with honors from the conservatory in Havana. Alongside his passion for classical music, jazz was Valle's "second love" from an early age. From the fusion of classical, Cuban music, and jazz, the artist developed a unique playing style. The precision of classical music merges with the improvisational freedom of jazz, driven by the emotional fervor of Cuban music. To date, 14 albums testify to the brilliant creativity of the "Little Giants." In 2018, the "Official Steinway Artist" won the "Cubadisco Award"—the most prestigious prize for Cuban music. In 2019, Valle received an honorary award as the "best Cuban jazz pianist." Best of the best, indeed. After a series of performances at the legendary "Jazz Plaza Festival" in Cuba, the duo's album was recorded directly in Havana. "HAVANNA" is an ode to musical friendship, the freedom of improvisation, and a shared love for Cuban music. The concert of the two bandleaders promises to be a fireworks display of improvisation. The organizing duo, Jazz Initiative Schwetzingen and CreActiv Weinheim, shares a common love for jazz, in an unbureaucratic and non-commercial manner. Special thanks go to all partners and sponsors.