Dondi Ledesma

Rizal Dondi Ledesma (d. Feb. 24, 2009), also known by the stage moniker, DNDI, was a Filipino bassist who was the recognized pioneer of Philippine progressive rock.^[1]

His mainstream musical career was most prominent for his supporting role as the virtuoso electric bassist behind the legendary Pinoy rock guitarist, Wally Gonzalez, and drummer-singer-composer Joey “Pepe” Smith, the main proponent of the Pinoy Rock movement.^[2]

He performed in a handful of historically significant recordings, including two albums by the Filipino folk-rock group Asin, and Pepe Smith's only solo outing, Idiosyncracies. In 1991, he began independently producing and recording a series of one-man albums,^[3] alternately playing bass guitar, piccolo bass guitar, keyboards, flute, sequencers, computer programming and vocals.^[1]
He also recorded with the groups, Asin and Anakbayan. He had started collaborating with Johnny Alegre (frequently with drummer Paolo Manuel) in a jazz-rock trio over a two-year period when illness overtook him.

In his live performances, DNDI was a crowd favorite because his bass guitar demonstrated qualities of a lead guitar instrument.^[3]

Ledesma died of clinical heart failure on February 24, 2009 at the Makati Medical Center, where he was confined after complaining of shoulder pains and wobbly legs in the morning of January 9.^[3]

Solo discography

• DNDI I (1991, Cassette)
• DNDI II (1992, Cassette)
• Shadow Of The Sun (1993, Cassette)
• Medicine (1995, Cassette)
• The Last Electric Knight (1997, Cassette)
• Original Sin (1999, Cassette)
• The DAM Songs (2000,CD-R)
• The DAM Songs 2 (2000,CD-R)
• Die Black Rat (2000,CD-R)
• Soundtracker (2000,CD-R)
• Nova (2002,CD-R)
• Funky Titz (2004,CD-R)

Note: All aforementioned albums were produced, recorded, published and distributed by Dondi Ledesma through private, independent channels.

References