Any discussion about music in Puerto Rico is incomplete without mentioning Humberto Ramírez. Over the past 40 years, this Grammy Award-winning artist has excelled as a trumpeter, pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, musical director, radio show host, educator, and jazz enthusiast and is deeply involved in every aspect of Puerto Rican music. It’s not a stretch to say that Ramírez is one of the island’s most in-demand and successful artists.

Today, Ramírez is widely regarded as an influencer and inspiration for a new generation of musicians taking jazz on the island and elsewhere to unprecedented heights. In addition to his role as an educator, Ramírez is a tireless advocate for Boricua pioneers such as the valve trombonist Juan Tizol, bandleader César Concepción, vocalist Lucy Fabery, and others who were underappreciated during their lifetimes or forgotten.