Rizal Dondi Ledesma   DNDI

About  |  Albums  |  Music and Videos  |  Images   |  Links |  Press  |  Bass_Book  |  Reciprocals   |   News   |   Contacts  

Dondi Ledesma photo by Leoh Blanco 08
 

 

 

About                                                                 BACK TO TOP MENU


Rizal Dondi Ledesma (DNDI)

Four string bass, 4-string Fretless bass, 4-string Piccolo bass, Keyboards, Drum - machine programming, Vocals and Flute.
All music : written, composed, arranged, performed, recorded and engineered by Rizal Dondi Ledesma at "S'cuse Me While I Kiss The Sky".
All music recordings made possible by multi-track overdubbing, Acid loops, midi sequencing and computer audio editing.
Dondi Ledesma's experimental progressive rock jazz fusion is highly influenced by artists such as Yes, "Emerson,Lake & Palmer", "Return To Forever", Asia, UK, other heavy metal, hard rock, fusion and jazz greats evolving and merging into an interesting and different style of it's own.

Remember this site : http://dndi.tk   with the shorter Url.


 

 

Albums and Songs                                                                 BACK TO TOP MENU

 

Song List and Album Covers

Dondi Ledesma (dndi)



  • DNDI I : (1991) -The Loudness of Fame | Until there's a Way | Cry In The Wind | Lamb Of The Water | Take Another Warm Embrace | Lift My Life | How To Love You | Solo Turn Of Attention | Man In An Island | Eyes Of A fool | Stories In Stars | Angry World Of Reason.
  • DNDI II: (1992)-Freedom Overture | We Will Always Be Together | New Sound | Save My country | The Time | Beautiful Song | I Could Apologize | We Got To Roll | Do You Remember | Bakit | Innocence | Talk About Love | Smile Of The Fruitcakes | Freedom Finale.
  • SHADOW OF THE SUN: (1993)-Shadow Of The Sun | Adventures Of MGD | The Afraid Of Love Symphonette | Slam The Door | Lying Eye | The Great Medley | Season Of Despair | ?
  • MEDICINE: (1995)-The Groovy Man And The Duck | Four And Twenty | Still Somehow | Psycho Will-O | Drill On My Headache | Something's Wrong With The....... | Do You Think It's Alright | Like Turning To Stone | Medicine(Mondo Business) | Enemy Lights | Hete Of Trut | Deep Ball.
  • THE LAST ELECTRIC KNIGHT: [1997]............(C-90 Double Cassette Length-[21 selections] )............ Chant | Tili-Pinas | Piranha | Solitude | Quadrant | Large Gun | Drain Gamage | The Sync Me Suite | Easy Money | Conquistador | Constellation | Yehey | N'kirew Ngwa Ay'ilwa | Tears Of Love | Party Action | Banahaw | Three Cheers | The Real Thing | Chasing After The Wind | She Took Me | Theme From The song From The Album Of The Same Name.
  • ORIGINAL SIN (1999)- Strange Convention | Lover Byways | Formal Groovy | de-hop-hip Tocatta | Cake You Make | Marker Words | Ragtime Reciever | Contest | Wind Of All Extremes | Night School.
  • DIE BLACK RAT (2000)- Supermen | Give Me | Hotdancer | Leg River | Sloblo | Fierce In Majesty | Danzel And Fretzel | Down Under And Way Out | Die Black Rat | Whisper In The Moonlight | The Voice And The Sunset | Distant Computation Quality.
  • SOUNDTRACKER (2000)- In The End | Save My Country° | Lamb Of The Water° | Runtime Rag | Stralaga | Tears Of Love | Mt. Banahaw | The Afraid Of Love Symphonette Pt. 1° (° = remakes).
  • NOVA (2002)- Blown Good Taste | Middle Of The Moment | Nova | How Do You Hear Me | Four String Blues | Let's Hear It | Back To Evermore | Freedom For Rest | Make A Lonely Day | Catchy Stuff | To Hold You | Aratig On Ortauq | Gets You Together | Exciter.
  • FULCRUM (2004)- Without A Warning | Satisfy Me | Song Of Tomorrow | Were You A Dream | Goodbye To The Rhythm | Againts The Feeling | Heart Of The Mountain | Bass Concert 3 Prelude | Bass Concerto 3 (BC3) Elude | (BC3) Include | (BC3) Delude | (BC3) Exclude | (BC3) Salude | (BC3) Conclude | La Reve 1 | La Reve 2





Independently Released Albums

DNDI 1 DNDI 2 Shadow of The Sun Medicine The Last Electric Knight Original Sin

CD album at Mp3.com 2000
Die Black Rat
CD album at Mp3.com 2001
Soundtracker
CD album at Mp3.com 2002
NOVA
FULCRUM : 2004 album
FULCRUM




Discography (Other Artists)

  • Medusa / Beware of Medusa (single)
  • Asin / Himig Kayumanggi 1 (Vicor)
  • Asin / Himig Kayumanggi 2 (Vicor)
  • DNDI / DNDI 1 (Flagg)
  • DNDI / DNDI 2 (Flagg)
  • DNDI / Shadow of the sun (Flagg)
  • Edmund Fortuno / Edmund Fortuno (Quantum)
  • DNDI / Medicine (Flagg)
  • DNDI / The last electric knight / (Flagg)
  • Marc Velasco / Marc Velasco / (Epic)
  • DNDI / Original sin (Flagg) 1998
  • Nescafe Open Up Party "Live" (BMG)
  • The DAM Songs   (www.mp3.com/dndi) 1999
  • The DAM Songs 2   (www.mp3.com/dndi) 1999
  • Die Black Rat (Flagg) (www.mp3.com/dndi) 2000
  • Soundtracker (Flagg) (www.mp3.com/dndi) 2001
  • Marc Velasco / Soulmates (Epic/Sony)
  • DNDI NOVA (Flagg)   (www.mp3.com/dndi) 2002
  • Idiosyncracies - Joey Smith, Jun Lopito, Dondi Ledesma (Alpha)
  • Juan De La Cruz / Pagbabalik [Live] (bootleg*)
  • DNDI FULCRUM  (Flagg)
  • Salito Malca's Puppeteer (independent)
  • Makatha (kudyapi) (MAMI/EMI)
  • Randy Lee Majors Feeling Randy (Independent)
  • Wally Gonzalez Lumang Gitara, Lumang Kanta (independent)
  • Two Chilekings THWIP (independent)

BACK TO TOP MENU

 

 

Music and Videos                                                                 BACK TO TOP MENU


Click below to open Mp3 and Video player

 


 

 

Images                                                                 BACK TO TOP MENU



Click Here for DNDI Live Pictures Pages

Page 1         Page 2         Page 3         old pics

dee-en-dee-ai
DNDI_08
live zeta

 

 

Links                                                                 BACK TO TOP MENU


LINKS TO MEDIA
VIDEOS @ YOUTUBE

MP3s @ SOUNDCLICK

LYRICS ARCHIVE

SELECTED DNDI VIDEOS

THE TWO CHILEKINGS

FLAGG MUSIC B.O.P.

            Click here to go down to the BASSLINKS
Click on image to go down to the Basslinks
CLICK HERE FOR BASS LINKS AND MUSIC RECIPROCAL LINKS

 

 

Press                                                                 BACK TO TOP MENU


Press Q's And Interviews

----------------
"Dondi Ledesma is a musician who like a writer works best in solitude."[Pocholo Concepcion].
----------------
"Weird" is how multi-platinum record producer Robert Javier describes Dondi Ledesma better known as DNDI. But Robert was just-as-well being nice and uncomplicated.DNDI,afterall is not such a celebrated bassist if ever this country will have one.[Marge Tadeja(Celebrity Magazine)1997]
----------------
Though don't expect any radio stations out there to play any of these tunes.Not in this life.They still haven't found the meaning of 'extraorinaire artist' in their dictionaries yet.Though,try to preserve this one. Your grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, and even great great grandchildren will be needing this in their time. And then, perhaps, people of all ages would appreciate such. And Dondi just went ahead of his time. Of our time.[Sigfreid B. Sanchez(Rock and Rhythm Magazine 1995)].
----------------
Don't call Dondi Ledesma a rock star[Manila Times 1995]"Hindi ako rock star"."Ayoko maging rock star".
----------------
Dondi Ledesma (written)interview by Ricky Tanco [Rock and Rhythm Magazine 1993]Excerpts:
RT:How did you get started in music? DNDI: It was in high school. There was Woodstock. the rhythm and the melody all by they were singing and playing guitars around school. myself. Much like the karaoke I found out I could play a E-chord on a six string multiplex systems of recent years. and it felt good. They were forming bands and my I have been doing this in my idle friends and I formed one. I chose to be the bass times since I was a teenager until player because I thought it was cool and it was I got better and better. Also with not so upfront,but it had a lot of responsibility other instruments. on it. It was better than being a useless jerk. RT:Why self produce? You can RT:How did you first dabble in self recording? have other people do the work? DNDI:I discovered this 'bad' habit when I was DNDI:Producing my own music tinkering with my father's tape recorders,when I was gave me a lot of freedom. I think about 13. A Sony cassette player and an Akai reel to everybody wants to do things their reel. I played a rhythm guitar sequence on the Sony, own way and it would waste a lot of then I played it back and when it was on,I played a time and money if I spent my time melody line together with it and at the same time, looking for people to do things for those two things were being recorded on the other me. Communication is always a problem tape recorder. I was able to capture both If I hired someone to do the lead guitar playing,it would take a lot of effort in order to achieve some things I'd like to be done on my songs. [Not all the contents of the This is why I devised my own lead whole interview were copied in this instrument by putting guitar strings HTML file] on a bass and got to playing the lead parts by myself.
-----------------------------------
'The Electric Don Quixote'[excerpt from TODAY]by: Lourd E.H.De Veyra] - An introvert, the soft-spoken Ledesma, like a mad genius,toils in his studio most of the time. He rarely goes out,doesn't listen to the radio and new stuff, and barely performs publicly.
-----------------------------------
['scuse Me While I Pee'(excerpt)by Cynthia Pare(Rock and Rhythm Magazine)]-Unfotunately for ordinary citizens,DNDI recordings aren't as easy to access as your next-door designer drugs or methampethamine hydrochloride. Besides a limited distribution, pressing is limited. Last but not the least: Who the hell is The Humane Society for the Preservation of the Imaginative and Faithful Citizens of The Planet Earth that monitored the re-recording of Knight ?
-----------------------------------
Jazz,rock,pop bleed into one mass genius defying classification. All things considered,though,earnest efforts might still fail. But then so the great book says," A prophet is not without honor except in his own land." [Reynaldo Lampano Jr.] (loose cannon files :'Conversation with an Improviser') COOL Magazine March 1998.
-----------------------------------
DNDI - ORIGINAL SIN

This artist, Rizal Dondi Ledesma, comes out of the Philippines & it's
a country I'd have to say we don't hear very much music coming out of,
which is not really so unusual I guess as a lot of countries from this
region are only now starting to see benefits from interacting with the
'world stage' as it were.

This is an interesting album, in which everything from composition to
performance & recording is done by the one person, which can work both
for & against you. One side benefit is not having to rely on anyone
else, any mistakes are solely your own, while on the downside, an extra
pair of ears can also assist, which shows in the end result here, where
the vocals are set way back in the mix, at times overidden by the
backing instruments, this is possibly also because it's a tape rather
than CD.

Fortunately this doesn't detract from the end product though "&" there
are moments here that are quite impressive. While tracks like opener
"Stranger Convention" & "Wind Of All Extremes" are more pop oriented,
comparisons with Vangelis' musikc can also be made on a couple of
interesting instrumentals like "Formal Groovy". The songwriting is
pretty good, as is the execution. I'm not sure if this is the first
release by this artist, but the next one should see quite an
improvement.

Terry Allen [ Heard Magazine (Australia) ]
-----------------------------------



from: Zoltan's Progressive Rock Pages

THE LAST ELECTRIC KNIGHT
DNDI is the work of bass virtuoso/composer Dondi Ledesma, who has been releasing albums since 1991 on his own label. Dondi's fifth album The Last Electric Knight, released in 1997, is quite an instrumental treat for bassists and prog fans alike. Although the music is composed from a bassist's point of view, the passages never become excuses for endless bass noodling. Instead, the compositions are a nice balance of electric bass, piccolo bass(which at times sounds like an electric guitar), and keyboards, where symphonic themes, melodies, and harmonies are the emphasis. The closest bands that I could compare this to would be Cast, Stanley Clarke, with a touch of Dream Theater. But that's just to give you an idea.
ORIGINAL SIN
Original Sin is DNDI newest album for 1999. And there are some changes from The Last Electric Knight. The symphonic quality from the last album has been turned up on this one, although some fusion-ish influence remain during some of the solos. Vocals have also been added, which remind me a bit of the singer from 5uu's. They have that Jon Anderson-quality, but maybe with a slight hint of Peter Gabriel/Phil Collins. 90's techno influences also make their appearance on some of the pieces. But they are done clearly from a prog fan's point of view. A perfect example would be "De-hop-hip Tocatta" where a techno-influenced breakbeat is followed by a blistering, fusion-influence, bass solo with variations almost every 10 seconds.
Both albums come highly recommended. DNDI is the perfect example of high-quality progressive rock produced without the help of a label. The music is free of commercial pressure, and overflows with integrity.
(Steve Hegede)


October 2000 Album review "Exposę" Magazine (Prog Rock)
by : Jon Davis

DNDI - The Last Electric Knight and Original Sin Rizal Dondi Ledesma is , first and foremost , an outstanding bassist , probably the premier bassist of the Philippines, whose playing reminds me most of Stanley Clarke. He's also an accomplished keyboardist and a pretty good flute player too. On these two cassette items, he rounds things up by programming a drum machine, singing, engineering, and producing himself. He releases them under the name of DNDI (presumably a play on his middle name). Stylistically, the music ranges from a kind of prog -pop (UK or Saga) to jazzy funk with flashy bass soloing. While the music is quite impressive on the whole, I can't help thinking it would work better with a full band. DNDI manages to avoid many of the pitfalls of typical one-man projects, especially the lack of energy and overly sterile performance. Ledesma pushes the tempos enough that energy is not a problem, but more interplay between the parts would be welcome. A powerful vocalist in particular would really bring these tracks to life. I can't say if it's just the cassette medium or the actual recording quality that dulls the audio quality here, but I would love to hear DNDI on CD recorded in a well equipped professional studio. All in all, there is great promise here. --- Jon Davis(Exposę Oct.,2000)



Down Low And Online
The Bassists of MP3.com --- April 2001 BASS PLAYER Magazine
Dondi Ledesma : (excerpts)
Gear: I own 14 basses, but I use mainly an Aria Pro modified into a piccolo bass for lead guitar parts. I started on a Fostex 4-track then a Tascam 8-track; recently I have been making music on a computer with multi-track software. Background: "My page says I'm a one-man band, but I'm mainly a working bass player", says Ledesma, who's also a teacher at www.basslessons.com. "The internet gave me the opportunity to share what I was doing without compromisong or messing with others. I am very grateful that people can listen to my music anytime with just one click." Goals: "My goals are to explore as much uncharted musical waters as I can, perhaps earn something from it, and then retire and be remembered." - E.E. Bradman



Waiting for Dondi Ledesma - PLAYBACK by Juaniyo Arcellana
Philippine Daily Star 1/8/01

The enigmatic bassist Dondi Ledesma came out with his seventh independently produced album in early 2000, Die Black Rat, with all instruments and vocals by the Ilonggo wunderkind who, admittedly, is not so young. The bigger news, however, has to do with the album Ledesma is currently working on in his Pasay home studio, right behind Trader’s Hotel, with the hardy Pinoy rock and roll veteran Pepe Smith and journeyman guitarist Jun Lopito. But more on this later. Ledesma, who grew up in Iloilo, has become something of a legend in Manila circles, where his Ilonggo friends push his music, his reputation spreading both by word of mouth and passed-on CDs, sounding none the worse for wear despite several rounds in different CD players of varying makes and models.
He is well-remembered for his performance at the 1999 NU Rock Awards, where he played bass in the all-star jam finale that featured then newly inducted hall of fame drummer Edmund Fortuno in one of his last public performances before his death.
As for Die Black Rat, our first exposure to Ledesma in relevant form, we get ample evidence of the bassist’s musical virtuosity, adept as he is in sundry instruments, such as flute and keyboards. And apart from the drum programs that often sound like the crash of an advancing army, Ledesma non-chalantly states in the sparse liner notes: No lead guitars. What?! Repeated though abbreviated listenings –my copy occasionally skips and hangs –would have us swear that there was a lead guitar somewhere in the mix, but no, we are assured by Ledesma’s Ilonggo agents that what we’re hearing is actually is a (4*)–string piccolo bass, an instrument seldom heard hereabouts.
So there ensues a mad scramble on how to describe, or maybe vainly label, the enigmatic man’s music: fusion? new age metal? postmodern jazz? But that could be the least of Ledesma’s concerns. Listening to Die Black Rat one rainy noon, chased with some beer and smokes, would reveal the following observations: that there are similarities with the ’70s and ’80s improvisational rock groups Yes and Rush, particularly in the precision playing and the high-pitched, ethereal vocals that are like a tribute to Yes vocalist Jon Anderson.
Like the best bassists before him, Ledesma is never content in staying within the parameters of a specific musical form, so that his experiments with shifting time signatures recall the bebop giants, and the blazing lead guitar lines on the piccolo bass are a manifestation of a metal temperament.
That all songs are composed, arranged, performed, recorded and engineered by Ledesma himself indeed a one–man wrecking crew –all the more makes Die Black Rat impressive, and practically puts him in the league of similar virtuosos like Prince, Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones, incidentally all black men.
As usual his provincemates are in a quandary how to sell his music since it is basically "un-commercial," meaning you never know if the artist will just be laying out a purely instrumental cut or just as suddenly take up the vocal chores. Maybe you can file him under "hard-to-find."
Now to the worst kept secret in town: the album Ledesma is doing with Smith and Lopito. According to our Western Visayan and Pasay sources, the forthcoming CD will be one to watch out for, with all tracks composed and most instruments played by Ledesma, with Smith on vocals and Lopito on the occasional guitar. Producer is said to be "anak ni Jullie Yap-Daza."
Problem is, will we ever get to hear the final finished product? The same sources said that the cuts are great, but only five have been finished in the past six months, or an average of less than one track a month. Smith’s singing is as driven and unpredictable as ever: "If you didn’t know it was Smith, you’d swear it was an American singing," said one kibitzer who has spent time in Ledesma’s studio.
There are times too when Smith is said to suddenly stop in mid-verse, abruptly cutting the recording session. At the rate they’re going, it will take another six months before the album is finally through, or by mid-2001. But judging from the early rave reviews and previews, it should be well worth the sullen wait.


Dondi, Online By Bong A. Zaragoza May-03-2001 (Musiko.com)

Dondi Ledesma a.k.a. DNDI. Renowned bass guitarist. Computer musician. Dondi tells us how the computer
and the Internet is helping him continue what he loves to do, making music and reaping the rewards.
Musiko: Music has been your career for a long time now. What keeps you busy nowadays? Are you venturing
into anything new?
Dndi: I'm into another DNDI album. This will be album number nine. I have moved to another apartment and
this time I have a new studio environment and configuration which is the new "S'cuse Me While I Kiss the Sky"
--- All PC powered, no more tapes and hopefully a better sound. I still have my trusty DAT but I'll be
mastering direct to CD. I am also doing some session work with friends.
Musiko: You are very active on the Internet. You have several websites that feature you and your music.
Your songs can be downloaded from websites such as www.mp3.com. What made you decide to use the Internet?
Dndi: There was a time when I put a lot of my songs on the Internet. A lot of music websites accepted my
songs and I thought this was good because my old songs are not useless anymore and anyone on earth could listen
to them just by clicking on them. I have sites for my bass guitars, my lyrics, my own record label, and my music
and info. The Internet is so open to everyone and anything interesting for anyone to look into on this earth
--- maybe someday we can be able to access other things on other worlds or planets or maybe we already do.
Some cultures like ours are not really interested in some things like double-edged screws, bass guitars and
other non-everyday things. I found out through the Internet that what I do is being respected on other parts
of the world and that there are others like me. Now I don't have to have a hard time trying to convince others
that I'm not impossible anymore. I'll just have to go forward in improving and expressing myself.
Communicating and making friends with other musicians like me made me realize I'll have to be playing
for the next millennium and not for a bunch of ambitious music executives.
Musiko: How did you start making music using the computer? Aside from learning the required software
what other challenges did you have to face?
Dndi: I started getting to computer recording at around 1997. A friend of mine gave me a copy of
"Cakewalk 3.0" and I started learning by myself from there since there were many things to be learned
concerning digital recording. Besides learning the software I had to know things about hardware and memory so
that things would work. I also had to adjust on some of the ways I recorded my music so that my personal habits
would fit in on the tapeless system of things.
Musiko: You recently won a couple of awards from a well-known music website. What awards were these?
What were the prizes they given?
Dndi: Recently, my song "Party Action" won a top ten most downloaded rock song award in www.mpulse.com.
I also won a contest on the worldwide web sponsored by Sonic Foundry and Ernie Ball. I won best in two categories
namely the "best heavy metal bass player" and "best funk bass player" in the worldwide web. The Sonic Foundry
company sent me a box of recording software and sound loops CDs. I have just received the two custom "Musicman"
basses from the Ernie Ball company as prizes for the two categories. I am quite grateful.
Musiko: After having won those awards and also being featured in the April 2001 issue of The Bass Player
magazine, how does it feel to be (probably) the first Filipino Bass Player to gain international fame on the Internet?
Dndi: It feels great to see my efforts not wasted but I think it's only a beginning as I have to make my
stand as the bass player that I really want to be now that a portal seems to be open up ahead. Nothing is easy but
nothing is done unless it's done.
Musiko: Is it difficult to follow what you've done? Dndi: I don't want to track my actions till here but if
I did I would be crazy. I have looked up to my heroes and kept going and going. I am thankful I have recorded the
music for eternity but after all people will be listening to what they will hear and I still don't know what comes
after that. Some may like it and some may not. Cool for me (that) what has been done is done so off to other
adventures up ahead. Difficult? Would you believe I made eight albums worth of mistakes? When will I ever get it
right................
Musiko: What advice would you give to people who would like to follow in your footsteps in promoting themselves
and their music via the Internet?
Dndi: Feel free to surf as much as you can. The world is full of wondrous mysteries and music. Make sure a friend
can lend you a password for unlimited Internet time. A friend of mine once did and I went places. If you can afford
everything it would be great. Sometimes media around you might seem to have no more truth but somewhere out there ---
other worlds beyond are bigger than the piece of earth you stand on and the truth will somehow take it's place.
Musiko: What will be the next move for "Dondi"? What else are you planning to do?
Dndi: "Dondi" will have better sound. "Dondi" will make better music. "Dondi" will be better bass player.
"Dondi" will be better... blah blah blah... I hope he does fine.
Musiko: How many bass guitars do you have now? What are the colors? Why that many?
Dndi: For now I have 16 basses. Not much but they are in playing condition. I have a black Jazz Bass, a red
fireglo "Rick", White Epiphone, a blue doubleneck, a dark green marble, several shades of wood, a dark green one,
one with funny marks,a metallic one, piccolo basses, active / passive basses and fretless ones actually to keep away
from lingering monotonous bass sounds but sometimes and hopefully to match the color of my shirt or pants.




DNDI Dondi Ledesma   Die Black Rat
Dondi Ledesma egy Fülöp-szigeteki basszusgitár virtuóz. Tizenkét éves korában kezdett el basszusgitározni, most olyan ötven körüli lehet a fickó, tehát nem gyengén vágja a basszustémákat. Ezen a lemezen minden hangszert ő szólaltat meg, és érdekesség még az is, hogy bár progresszív jazz/rock-ot játszik, szólógitárokat nem használ. Csak basszusgitárok hallhatóak ezen az anyagon, hagyományos négy húros, fretless, lead piccoló basszus stb. A zenében nincs élő dob, dobprogramokat használ, de ez nem igazán tűnik fel. Ez főleg annak köszönhető, hogy nagyon ki vannak dolgozva a dobtémák, szinte egy dobos sem játszhatta volna fel komplikáltabban. Ahogy azt már írtam, egyfajta progresszív jazz/rock, amit Dondi játszik, sok szintetizátort is lehet hallani és persze a basszusgitárok. Az ének témákat is ő adja elő, már ahol van némi ének, egyébként a hangja abszolút illeszkedik a zenéhez. Azt azonban sajnálom, hogy a basszusgitár játékát nem túl sűrűn villantja meg, arra számítottam, hogy csupa bőgő virga lesz az egész lemez. Persze senki ne értse félre, így is akad bőven basszusfutam és mindenféle okosság. A tizenkét számos lemez elég jól szól, és a dalok is jól megírtak, profi cucc. Nagy újdonságot egyébként nem hoz a műfajba, de jó hallgatni, és mindenképpen igényes és kidolgozott zenét rejt ez a korong.
======== Török Attila (Eclectic : Hungary)



DNDI - "Die Black Rat" (Flagg Music 7 2000) I last heard from Philippines bass maestro Dondi Ledesma with a couple of cassettes a few years ago. At the time, I remarked that his skills on a wide vareity of instruments were impressive, but the programmed drums and the lack of group interplay made the music a bit sterile. Moving up to the present, this CD presents a refinement of the old DNDI, with Ledesma playing all the instruments with great facility, and programming the drums. That's the bad news. The good news is that the overall quality is a substantial improvement over the earlier work. Virtually all of the 17 tracks here feature formidable technical prowess, and the recording quality is crisp and uncluttered. The drums are still programmed, but they are done better, and while I still think the music would benefit from a live drummer, the parts are more integrated much more cohesively. The lack of guitar, however is no big deal, as Ledesma's piccolo bass fills that role quite handily. Keyboard parts also display flashy technique, though the sampled saxophone is one exception. I find it a bit annoying on the otherwise outstanding track "Leg River." The style once again ranges from kick-butt fusion to complex anthemic prog. Around half the tracks feature singing, and Ledesma's voice is much improved (or maybe just better recorded), sometimes having a sort of Wyatt-like quaver. I recommend this highly to fans of monster bass playing; you can get over the programmed drums, I promise. - Jon Davis (Exposę magazine April 2002) CA




(excerpts)
If Wagner played bass (PLAYBACK by Juaniyo Arcellana The Philippine Star 02/16/2003)
And if Wagner played bass, Ride of the Valkyries and all, he might have been transplanted to another lifetime in the person of Rizal Dondi Ledesma, who plays the instrument and variations of it like they were his babies. Credit Ledesma, studio whiz and one-man band, for reinventing the bass guitar and stretching its possibilities to the inexhaustible limit. ......................
In Die Black Rat and the later released Nova, both solo albums by Ledesma in the strictest sense of the word, he plays all instruments (mostly bass and its variants) and writes all songs, and does the vocals as well. One might easily conclude that the guy is a studio monster: laying each track painstakingly on one instrument, then overdubbing other parts and endless curing and post-production polishing afterwards.............................
And the scales on the piccolo bass (look, ma, no lead guitars!), hark back to the Arabic a la Blackmore, as well Schenker and Howe and other names both droppable and undroppable because they hovered between light and heavy, scales like babusta coffee beans or Johnson yata yan. .............................
The only misgiving, aside from the aforementioned drums, is that we can never get to hear DNDI play this live, which is a pity because imagining it can really exercise the eardrums.




Rizal Dondi Ledesma will change your perspective
Music is well said to be the speech of angels.-Thomas Carlyle
NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE!
Music - an expression of joy, sorrow, desire, solidarity, community, humanity....or even of just any thought that comes to mind... Without thinking about it, you will enter into this universe of pure romantism wich will cast you into another dimension. Music through all its expressions, whether we are talking about new age, folk, rock"&"roll, alternative"&"rock, electronica"&"dance or rap"&"hip-hop, latin, industrial, reggae, soul and R"&"B, is the only thing that transforms our souls and minds. If you want to change your perspective about life, relax and transform yourself and your world together with Rizal Dondi Ledesma
What? You didn't understand what's about? Just 4 u, let's repeat it in grey... Music - an expression of joy, sorrow, desire, solidarity, community, humanity....or even of just any thought that comes to mind... Without sensing it, you will feel this world of the sublime wich will cast you into the fairytales. Music through all its expressions, whether we are talking about romantic, new age, rock"&"roll, acoustic contemporary or soul, middle eastern, reggae, latin, electronica, children's music, is the only thing that can adorn the reality. If you want to challenge your imagination, dream on and remember the voice and come along with Rizal Dondi Ledesma

http://www.wonderful-people.com/Music/Artists/MArtistsL/index3/Lea10025.htm



from AcidGuitar.com ( Once upon a time )

              CITIZEN REVIEWS

                  way cool
                  FILP TWIST, 6/5/2000 8:06:03 PM
                  I forgot that theres more to a song then just guitar .....way
                  to go .........ROCK ON.......



                  Fast, percussive and hip
                  Charles Rathmann from Union Grove, WI, 6/5/2000 6:49:34 PM
                  Man -- your playing hits me right in the f###in' face. It's
                  very percussive and on-the-beat -- like Steve Morse playing
                  bass. I agree with other reviews posted below that some type
                  of ending would have been nice. But what the heck -- this
                  playing is good enough that before too long, many of us will
                  have to learn how to pronounce your name.



                  You're a machine man!!
                  Zed 31 from Downey, CA, 5/31/2000 3:56:07 AM
                  Wow this was great! The finger work made me head spin..great
                  job..Glad I'm not in your category!! You really shred!



                  Nothing like a little lead bass!
                  Joe Thompson from , MD, 5/31/2000 2:37:14 AM
                  I like the flailing fingers riffs. Clean and articulate. Not
                  much of a song, but a good showcase for you're talent.



                  Rocking at Top Speed
                  Richie Miller from Joshua Tree, CA, 5/31/2000 2:22:32 AM
                  Nice fast lead bass and some nice melodic picking towards the
                  middle. Fast and clean, with personality. Varied riffs and
                  great energy with an ending that drops you off a cliff flaling
                  and kicking and screaming for a seditave. Rock on!



                  Great Showcase
                  Aidan Browne from Manchester, 5/27/2000 2:27:55 PM
                  Stanley Clarke, eat your heart out, Dondi's here.
                  Brilliant!!!! A fade out would have been nice though.



              CITIZEN REVIEWS


                  Impressive bass Rizal!!!
                  Adele Phillips from London, 6/9/2000 1:30:14 PM
                  This was such a great bass workout, Drooool. ;)



                  dude that's cool!!
                  Dave Bates from reseda, CA, 6/9/2000 4:38:59 AM
                  man what a bass player! hell of a chops.



                  I've caught the bloody thing ;)
                  Aidan Browne from Manchester, 6/7/2000 4:34:20 PM
                  This just has to be Stanley Clarke on his day off. This
                  display of virtuosity would be impressive on a puny six
                  string. (guitar that is) Listen and review.



              CITIZEN REVIEWS

                  woah...
                  Dennis Chang from Montreal, QC, 6/11/2000 5:19:19 PM
                  bass work is awesome



                  He's changed his name,,,
                  Aidan Browne from Manchester, 6/10/2000 6:42:04 AM
                  ...to Rizal Dondi Ledesma, and entered this competition.
                  Stanley, I mean Rizal, must fancy a new bass. Listen and
                  review.


                  Wow
                  Dick Petersson from Gothenburg, 6/9/2000 6:24:34 PM
                  Very Stanley Clarkish. What is he doing these days. Nice
                  Showcase, Good Song, Is it U playing the guitar ? Worth
                  Listening 2.



                  Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                  JAG-X-PRESS from Baskerville, VA, 6/23/2000 8:41:31 PM
                  Real sweet, I am heading to my instrument now!



                   Wheee!
                   Jason V from Madison, WI, 6/21/2000 11:05:06 AM
                   This is fun stuff. I've been waiting for some more interesting
                   virtuoso entries than 'lead-on-clean-arpeggios'. Even has nice
                   arrangement and harmonies.


              CITIZEN REVIEWS


                  My synapes are blown out by this one ...
                  Charles Rathmann from Union Grove, WI, 7/4/2000 10:42:46 PM
                  The first thing that hit me with this is the sheer variety of sound in here is startling.
                  This means you're doing a great job of manipulating the instrument to produce
                  different sounds -- and I think it goes beyond the effects you're using. It reminds me
                  of seeing Narcisso Yepes getting sounds like a tambourine out of this 10-string.
                  This is some of the hippest stuff I've heard in a long time.



                  Brilliant display of Bass mastery!
                  scott minchk from Hollywood, CA, 7/9/2000 3:57:49 AM
                  This is one of the coolest songs I have ever heard on the Bass. Great changes,
                  awesome solos!!! Give us some more!



                  Very Cool.
                  Robert Deming, 7/8/2000 8:44:21 PM
                  Nice work.



                  You win!
                  Rick McCarthy from Hanson, MA, 7/9/2000 10:44:05 PM
                  You've got some great technique and sense of direction with this one. Very inventive.
                  You must've played guitar at one time, hmmmm?


                  er what ?
                  Tom Pickles from Kew, 7/11/2000 1:41:20 PM
                  Talented yes i aggree thats why i gave 2 stars, dull boring and overkill on fx thats
                  why i gave 2 stars. I guess this competition has become a "let's show off how much
                  effects units we can cram into a song" competition which sucks.
                  in my opinion effects dosen't make a decent tune, a decent tune will be
                  good no matter what equipment is used.



                  IDOL!!!!!!
                  Ardie Sarao from Winnipeg, MB, 7/8/2000 11:23:31 PM
                  WOW ANG GALENG! PATAY NA NGA SILANG LAHAT...



                  Brilliant display of Bass mastery!
                  scott minchk from Hollywood, CA, 7/9/2000 3:57:49 AM
                  This is one of the coolest songs I have ever heard on the Bass. Great changes, awesome solos!!!
                  Give us some more!






Written Interview (by mail) by Blesela Garachico for 'La Puztizo' Zine [The Last Electric Kinght]:1997

1) When did you start formally as a musician and what gave you the interest to play ? I started formally playing 6 nights a week when I was in high school. I became bass player of the "Technocrats" when I was 14 and we played in a disco club in Kahirup Hotel (Guanco St.) We played mostly heavy songs like Led Zep and Black Sabbath. People were dancing to those things then.My parents couldn't do anything about me playing nightly because I really wanted to play and I was proud to be already working when I was in high school.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Why bass as the major instrument ? I chose the bass because I thought it was cool and it had a lot of responsibility on it. I was a very shy person so I figured I'd be better off with this instrument. I later messed with it and realized I could do things others could not do and I think it all started from there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) How do you handle playing all the instruments in the album ? These days I do all my recordings on my own time with no schedules or pressures. I usually start with a few tracks (instrument tracks )or a few bars of a song and come back to it later when I really feel like or have a nice idea but I'm very strict on the cleanliness and precision of my work these days than before. I overdub the instruments one by one on a multi-track tape recorder until I complete a favorable minus-one sort of basis then I sing or do a solo of my bass or piccolo bass on top of the accompaniment. When I was doing my experiments on commercial studios during the 80's, I had to do all those things on a very short time span of about 5 hours because it was very expensive and I could not do clean work because of the pressure. Nowadays I kind of go like-" OK I'll finish the bass solo after I go shopping."or something like that.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Past bands "&" has your musical taste changed / evolved from one band to another ? It's a sad thing to know that no bands really stick together in our country. Maybe because of the economy. I always dreamed about joining a real super-duper band but I really haven't had the chance of doing real great music with others. Learning by experience is better than any school could teach and being able to be exposed to a wide variety of musical styles gave me a lot of space to improvise but most of all those things gave me a lot of understanding of what is possible and not possible musically.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) Why did you go to Manila, Why not perform in Iloilo ? I got myself based in Manila about 12 years ago because I went to work as a full time musician and I did. I played in a hotel, I became a session bass player and got to movie soundtrack recording and did some work as a minus-one bass player. The shopping, the technology,and the jobs are here but I like performing in Iloilo because the real heavy stuff is appreciated down there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6) Do you play gigs ? If no, why not ? Before 1996 I was always out playing gigs with the pinoy rock guys and even when I was doing my projects I still kept on doing live sessions with my friends.One of the reasons I stopped till now was that it was difficult for me to use my own personal bass system because I love playing loud and most of the prepackaged festivals they organize have bass systems lower than my hips and when I bring my own, engineers would usually be pissed. When I was starting out in Iloilo I already had been using speakers stacked taller than me. My present personal bass system is 1,800 watts rms and I wanna use it. Another reason for my long vacation is that I want to have a little rest from the foul things I know that's happening in showbiz.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7) How do you manage to sell your albums despite lack of publicity ? I sell only very little of my tapes mostly through my friends and also from a little company that distributes my tapes only in Luzon. It's like sort of a cottage industry thing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8) Why haven't you succumbed to temptations of major labels ? My music is hard to promote and I think very few appreciate what I do and it's hard to sell.Companies want what they could sell easily and once you sign up, all the music automatically belongs to the company. That's what's happening here and copyright laws are not being respected and implemented as you would imagine other richer countries do. I couldn't imagine doing my own thing under a boss. If a particular person buys me a bmw or a jet for doing my music,I'd be a rock star but I'm into other things besides all this.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9) Tell the pipol of Iloilo about your past albums. Well, theres DNDI 1, DNDI 2, Shadow of the Sun, and MEDICINE. If they could find some it would be nice. The sound of the earlier ones are not really excellent but the music is all there and I don't do other people's music and I don't use any 6-string guitars.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10) What do you do as of now ? I'm preparing for the release of my fifth album which is a double album and the sound is much more better. I am also doing improvements on my private studiobecause I'm going into digital music and I'm having my computer souped up and configured to be synced with my sequencer and all the other refinements in order to deliver better and clearer sound in the future.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11) What can we expect from the fifth album. The fifth album has 21 songs and some of them are remakes of the songs I have recorded in several studios here in Manila. I rerecorded and updated them here in my own studio (S'cuse Me While I Kiss The Sky Private Fascility ) because I was not content of the clarity and quality. All the music is already done and I'm thankful I was able to have the sound as if I were with a hundred piece orchestra with a good horn section. I played more flute here than in any of my albums.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12) What else do you do besides playing ? I like to mess with wires and audio. I also like buiding and flying model airplanes but they're very expensive now so I'm into computer stuff because there are other things besides music on it and I'm beginning to get to video and maybe I'll be into doing my own Mtvs. Besides my private life I want to be a good citizen and keep away from trouble.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13) What helps you stimulate your mind to create music ? The music comes when it comes and I don't anticipate it. Things usually happen when I fiddle around with the bass or any instrument I happen to be playing with but there's nothing of any pre-arranged premeditation or any of that mystical or OA stuff.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14) What local bands / artists do you like ( if any ) ? I like listening to local bands who do their own thing without minding what's going on around them. Many bands try to sound like successful mainstream bands before them and many begin to sound alike. Most of the music I listen to these days are of those who do superhuman things with their instruments and the like but I don't buy tapes as much as I did before.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15) How does it feel to be a solo artist ( you dont have commitments to a band ) ? Considering the freedom and unlimitedness of the extent of creativity it is a lot freer but a little lonely. In my case I don't have to worry about musical limitations and problems on communication and differences and I am thankful I am given the gift and opportunity to do what I can do. I find a way to jam with my musician friends once in a while so I won't get weird.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16) Does being a performer, producer, arranger, et al of your own albums have greater advantages over being just a performer alone ? Yes because there are no problems such as hiring people and having quarrels with those whom I disagree with but the hard part is when it comes to the selling and advertising because it requires a lot of money and effort.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17) When did you put up your own studio "&" it's current status( Do you let other bands record there)? I really started messing around with tape recorders since I was about 12 and I was doing things by myself since then in my idle times but I started to get serious with recording alone during the 80's recording my own music in recording studios , learning the craft, and finally buying my own equipment little by little until today. It has become sort of a hobby and I managed to have a decent set of equipment for recording my own music.I now have the finest equipment I could lay my hands on but it's only good for one person because it is a midi studio comprised mostly of machines and modules unlike the common commercial studios bands could record on. I could describe the whole thing like as if it were a small space station laboratory.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18) Describe your music ( coz we cant find the appropriate words for it.) ? I think I could describe it as Progressive hybrid classical rock jazz but it might change depending on what I could get into next since I like to explore different areas and styles in technique "&" composition.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
end of 18 out of 20 answered questions







Dondi is one of the best filipino bassists that ever walked the earth. At Juan De La Cruz's first reunion concert in '98, Dondi played fretless bass on "Langit" and he made that damn instrument sing,weep,lament, and wax lyrical. In another gig, he displayed spidery fingers by doing staccato runs on a piccolo bass.
(Igan D'Bayan : Phil. Star 12/05)
Dondi did an amazing solo on Red House — with bends, staccato fills, chords, harmonics, all the tricks in the book and beyond. Not even Satan could play the bass that well.




So there ensues a mad scramble on how to describe, or maybe vainly label, the enigmatic man’s music: fusion? new age metal? postmodern jazz?......................As for Die Black Rat, our first exposure to Ledesma in relevant form, we get ample evidence of the bassist’s musical virtuosity, adept as he is in sundry instruments, such as flute and keyboards........................... And apart from the drum programs that often sound like the crash of an advancing army, Ledesma non-chalantly states in the sparse liner notes: No lead guitars...................... Like the best bassists before him, Ledesma is never content in staying within the parameters of a specific musical form, so that his experiments with shifting time signatures recall the bebop giants, and the blazing lead guitar lines on the piccolo bass are a manifestation of a metal temperament. (excerpts: 'Waiting for Dondi Ledesma' - PLAYBACK by Juaniyo Arcellana Entertainment News [The Philippine Star] )


BACK TO TOP MENU

 

 

Bass Book                                                                 BACK TO TOP MENU




Click Here To Open The DNDI BassBook

The Rizal Dondi Ledesma Bassbook for Four String Bass and Piccolo Bass contains : scales, bass chords for piccolo bass and tips for more efficient improvisational bass playing.

The old Dondi Ledesma model RJ bass
The Dondi Ledesma piccolo bass
Bass Collection

 


 

 

Reciprocal Links                                                                 BACK TO TOP MENU

Bass Links And Music Reciprocal Links

Bass Players on The Internet

Link under construction

Link under construction

Link under construction

click here

click here


 

 

Contacts                                                                 BACK TO TOP MENU

E-Mail

dndi@bigstring.com

edtr@dondiledesma.tk

 

BACK TO TOP MENU