“Morin Khuur State Ensemble”, Tricesimo September 24th, 2012

A 14-member Mongolian music ensemble rode through with its magnificent music at the “Madame Guitar” festival, Tricesimo, Italy.  

Just when you thought that you’ve seen it all in the world of music, along comes a 14-member Mongolian music ensemble to grace your ears.  The “Morin Khuur State Ensemble” from Mongolia performed at Tricesimo’s highly popular “Madame Guitar” international acoustic guitar festival, now in its 6^th season.

The ensemble itself is the country’s most prestigious state orchestra, which is made up of 13 male and female musicians plus one extraordinary soprano.   The group’s classical Mongolian instruments are rather particular and include rather unique names such as “morin khuur”, “ikh khur”, “yatga” and “yochin”.

The singing style, especially for the men, is also extremely particular and is known as “double-phonic” (called “khoomii”), a rather unique way of signing from deep within the throat.  The “urtyn duu” (or “long song”) method is also used during certain pieces.  The men appear to be so good at it that they make this type of singing appear rather effortless. 

The musicians’ particular costumes, as well as the music which is reminiscent of hearing the stampeding of wild horses, takes the audience back centuries to the glorious days of the formerly grand Mongolian empire.   

The group’s performance surprised all those present given the “tightness” of the musicians: there was not a single note or movement that was out of place, including the soprano’s performance “à-la-Maria Callas” (all pics by M. Rimati)!

Gary Lucas, Tricesimo, September 23rd, 2012

This musician has been defined in the following manner: “Guitarist with a global guitar”; “One of the best and most original guitarists in America” and “Perhaps the greatest living electric guitar player”.  

The great musician in question is none other than Gary Lucas who played in the small town of Tricesimo, during the town’s 6^th annual international festival for acoustic guitars, known also as “Madame Guitar”.


Lucas put on an incredibly dynamic one-hour show with both his Gibson acoustic and Stratocaster electric guitars, indeed a true “wizard” with both instruments.  His repertoire also included a very special treat for the audience: his very own instrumental version of the magnificent song “Grace”, which was also written with the late, great Jeff Buckley in mind.  

 In fact, music aficionados may recall that Lucas’s group, “Gods And Monsters”, included the mellow voice of Buckley, who tragically passed away in the Wolf River near Memphis on May 29^th, 1997 (Buckley went swimming fully clothed and with boots on while singing Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”.  A steamboat passed by and Buckley’s body was found several days later).


It was also an opportunity for Lucas to come to the Udine to present his new and touching book on his own life and the time he spent making music with Buckley, “Touched By Grace, My Time With Jeff Buckley”.   

Indeed a pleasure for me as I got to introduce him to the public and to discuss his book.  This by the way was my 5^th author that I got to present in the Udine area.


Lucas himself has published over 20 albums and has also worked with many different artists on at least 50 others records.  His collaboration with other musicians has also included the likes of Leonard Bernstein, John Zorn, Chris Cornell, Loud Reed, Patti Smith, Bryan Ferry and Iggy Pop, just to name a few.