Fernando Gelbard

Fernando Gelbard's Didi, recorded in 1974, is a landmark of Argentine jazz, blending bebop harmonies with bossa nova, Latin grooves, and Afro-American rhythms. Entirely performed on electronic keys, the album tangles the introspective solo Moog piece 'Mojo Uno' into the percussive, chant-driven 'Alevacolariea' with Uruguayan percussionist Ruben Rada. Gelbard, a pianist, flutist, and producer, was an early pioneer of electronic instruments in South American jazz, and his arrangements feature saxophonist Horacio 'Chivo' Borraro, Ricardo Salas on bass, and Miguel 'Chino' Rossi on percussion, bringing layered, kaleidoscopic textures. First shaped in Buenos Aires, Didi reflects Gelbard's adventurous spirit, political exile, and ongoing influence as a performer and studio innovator.