On the Fourth Day of Christmas

The gagayeum is a Korean zither (similar to the Japanese koto and the Chinese guzheng) and Luna Lee is a brilliantly inventive musician who makes it sound like an electric guitar. Well almost. She has given this traditional Korean instrument a new lease of life by playing classics from the genre of rock and pop: from the Beatles, the Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Amy Winehouse, Radiohead and more. As someone who is fascinated by the traditional music and instruments of different cultures, I was surprised and completely won over by Luna Lee’s playing as soon as I heard it. Here she is multi-tracking, singing and playing her version of White Christmas.

To a get a real flavour of her work you have to see this:

On the Third Day of Christmas

If you are one of those who loves everything Christmassy, snowy scenes, sleighbells ringing and jolly music, this is for you. From Estonia, here’s Tiliseb, tiliseb aisakell.

If you prefer something cooler, this:

On the Second Day of Christmas

For anyone who was disappointed to find they couldn’t listen to the crazy track on SoundCloud which I posted yesterday, and to anyone who liked it so much they want to hear it again, here it is on YouTube:

I think I’ve started something here, see you tomorrow?