This album captures the joy and excitement of the return of Dutch trumpeter Maite Hontele and Cuban pianist Ramon Valle to the city that witnessed so many beautiful moments in their artistic careers. Playing together is always pure joy. It's all about the musical conversation, openness and vulnerability. The friendship Hontele and Valle share off stage naturally continues on stage. It feels like a seamless extension.

Recording together in Havana was a special challenge: how do you capture that same atmosphere, that spontaneity and connection, in a studio setting? Where every note is under a magnifying glass, you still want to recreate the magic of a live performance. This is exactly, what they were able to achieve here. After playing several performances at the International Jazzplaza Festival in Havana the week before the recordings, they were already in the right flow. They felt inspired and energised.

But above all, it was their friendship and their shared love for Cuban music that made it work so naturally. That's why this album feels like a tribute to their bond, and to the rich Cuban musical culture.