At Silenced Productions, our mission is built on stories. We are fighting to bring awareness to Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) through the power of music, but at the core of this project is the life and legacy of one man: Ron W. Luque.
Recently, our team had the privilege of jumping on a call with acclaimed jazz musician Valery Ponomarev. We reached out to him because we wanted to hear about Ron from the perspective of the artists he so deeply championed during his life. What we got was a beautiful reminder of why this project matters so much.
"It's Your Friend Already, Right There"
When we asked Valery about Ron, there was no hesitation. His voice immediately warmed as he recalled his character.
“He was a very good person,” he told us right away. “He was very well-wishing.” In an industry where professional relationships can often feel transactional, Ron was entirely different. Valery explained that he was the kind of person who dissolved barriers the second you met him. “You meet him the first time, and it’s your friend already, right there,” he recalled. He was always helpful, always friendly—a “real friend” in every sense of the word.
Hearing Valery speak, it became clear that Ron’s kindness wasn’t just a polite facade; it was his true nature. It simply came from the bottom of his heart to wish people the absolute best.
A Spirit Like the Jazz Greats
As a jazz artist who has crossed paths with countless people, Valery made a comparison that truly struck our team. He placed Ron’s spirit alongside some of the most revered legends in jazz history. He told us that Ron possessed the same innate goodness and genuinely supportive nature as jazz icons like Art Blakey, Walter Davis Jr., and Clifford Brown.
To hear a musician compare a friend’s spirit to the greats of jazz speaks volumes about the size of Ron’s heart, and the profound impact he had on the music community.
Two of a Kind
But Valery didn’t just talk about Ron. Before we ended our call, he made sure to remind us that Ron and our founder, his wife Marie, were truly two of a kind. Valery described Marie as having that exact same well-wishing, unconditionally supportive spirit.
Because of this deep trust and shared history, Valery expressed his full, unwavering support for Marie’s vision. He knows that whatever Marie is building with The Sound of Silence tribute album is coming purely from the heart. For Valery, true friends like Ron never really leave us; they live on in our minds and our hearts.
The Music Remains
As we wrapped up our conversation with Valery, our team was reminded exactly why we are doing this work. For nine years, Ron battled PPA—a cruel disease that slowly took away his words.
But as Valery’s memories proved, the disease never took his spirit, his kindness, or his identity. He was always entirely there. And while he may no longer be able to speak, the musicians he loved so much are now using their instruments to speak for him.
Help us give a voice to the silenced.
We are currently raising funds to produce this album, build our advocacy platform, and develop in-home soundboards for families navigating a PPA diagnosis.
