Born into the third generation of a family of musicians, Ludo was surrounded from childhood by classical music – ever present – and the music of the street – ever sought after.

The Ludic style draws from modalism, and reaches its fullest expression in chromaticism, with infectious, well-designed melodies that rest upon strong harmonies and non-traditional meters: from Miles to Satie, from The Beatles to Bolero, from Floyd to modern R’n’B.

The strengths of Ludo’s music are obvious:  the use of tools seldom employed in pop provides something new and refreshing; the use of the French language to accompany this blend of genres defines and creates a uniquely identifiable sound.

After being diagnosed with late-stage cancer in 1998, Ludo redefined his priorities as he followed an aggressive course of chemo and radiation therapy. He abandoned the quest for musical virtuosity, embracing the beauty of melodic simplicity instead, giving birth to his own style: the Ludic style.

In his search for sounds to reflect his inner moods, Ludo embarked upon an exploration of modal theory which led to the creation of his chromatic melody system. He traded musical knowledge with a wide array of artists and organized many concerts and master classes, while also producing other artists (Scarlett Brebion Kelemen, Steve Bryant, John Matheus, Amnesiac and the Soul Monkeys, Manu Leunam). His teaching activities increased apace, as interest in his modal, harmonic-melodic, chromatic and polyrrhythmic approach gained popularity among other musicians.

He fronted several groups and projects and appeared as a sideman in others (Rock, Blues, Calypso, Reggae, Trova, Latino, Classical, Jazz…). It was during the songwriting process for one such project that he began to compose pieces in unusual meters:  “Instead of forcing them into a 4/4 or 3/8 mold, I let them speak. And in that ongoing conversation, I feel myself to be more a catalyst than a creator.”

During this period, Ludo composed copiously, writing both instrumental and lyric-driven pieces in Spanish, English and French. Nevertheless, he admits to a preference for French, given “the ease with which its words can be made to fit melodies, as well as its complexity, which – paradoxically – makes it easier to convey ideas simply, in a manner more closely resembling the actual feelings and thoughts they represent.”

Being curious by nature, he has supplemented his musical activities with courses on sound, audio-visual technology and multimedia (programming, graphic design and animation). He is one of the founders of the Music Video Production Workshop offered by the National Vocational Institute (INA) in Costa Rica.

At present, Ludo is working full-time on his personal projects: his solo album (Ludomatic), Acid Affair (an electro-Rock project featuring singer Vanessa Briganti), and Carnac (a Lounge-Jazz project).

His live concerts range from solo appearances in which he performs alone or accompanied only by percussion (for smaller venues) to full-tilt performances featuring eight musicians onstage, exploding with energy and improvisation. Other live formats include acoustic or electric trio performances backed by programmed tracks. Regardless of format, the magic of his songs and the verve of his arrangements comes across every time.

The detour is without a doubt well worth taking – energetic and enthralling, startling and familiar, all at once.