New York-based Israeli guitarist and vocalist Dida has a particular talent for storytelling. Whether it be a jazz standard, a scorching blues number, an old country ballad, or a heartfelt original “Dida sings in a voice sometimes playful, warm, resonant, no frills. She sings the words, giving them their meaning, their weight, with perfect diction and charm." (Jazz Hot, France)

 

Her many influences in the vast landscape that is American music, ranging from Blossom Dearie to Lou Reed, from Bob Dylan to Wes Montgomery, have led her to expand her musical scope after years of focusing on being a working jazz musician. On her first steady gig in New York City at a quaint West Village wine bar called LelaBar, she formed a collaborative friendship with bassist and composer Tal Ronen that led them to expand their mutual musical interests into creating original songs.

 

One of the first people to take note of Dida's abilities and promise was trumpet player and producer Fabio Morgera who put together her first recording project. The album 'Dida Plays and Sings' was released on the quality Italian label 'Red Records' in 2011 and boasts two of today's jazz greats on the bill, Roy Hargrove and Gregory Hutchinson. 'All About Jazz' chose the album as one of the best albums of that year and asserts that "Pelled's warm voice possesses an emotive quality that's simultaneously soothing and intoxicating, and her guitar playing, which is built on her round sound, strong comping skills and soulful single note solo lines, places her in a category all her own."

(All About Jazz)

 

Dida recently graduated with honors from the prestigious Jazz Department at The New School, and was then able to shift her focus to recording the music accumulated with her collaborator Tal Ronen. The result is an eclectic but cohesive statement that covers her wide range of musical interests and abilities. This music came from years of performances in both larger and smaller venues worldwide, including: Smalls Jazz Club, Rockwood Music Hall, City Winery, Highline Ballroom, The Living Room, Dizzy's at Lincoln Center and other notable New York musical landmarks, as well as worldwide at the Fillmore Jazz Festival- SF, Padova Jazz Festival in Italy, and The Tel Aviv Jazz Festival in Israel, among others.

Dida’s current project was recorded by Grammy-winning engineer Helik Hadar and includes Sam Yahel on organ.