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Gayageum player in final round of ESPN contest

February 25, 2014
(YouTube screen capture)

(YouTube screen capture)

Korean traditional musician Luna Lee has reached the final round of a contest organized by ESPN’s Sports Center to pick the best version of its iconic theme song.

Luna plays the gayageum, a 12-string Korean zither that was developed around the 6th Century. She is best known for her covers of Jimi Hendrix songs such as “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return),” which has garnered more than 2.7 million hits on YouTube.

The winner gets a trip to the Connecticut studios of cable TV channel ESPN, which airs Sports Center, to perform as its “house band” for a day. Voters determine the winner of the contest.

Luna is competing against guitarist Trace Bundy in the finals, for which voting opened Monday. Voting closes on Thursday, according to Luna’s Facebook page.

The “Fan Jam” contest pits participants in head-to-head competitions. Voters click on their favored contestant based on prerecorded video performances.

Bundy plays his version on an acoustic guitar, simultaneously playing melody and harmony and using techniques such as finger-tapping. Luna’s version includes the deep bending of the gayageum strings, a technique similar to solo blues guitar.

The contest began with eight competitors including solo electric guitarists, a pianist and a vocalist using a “beat box” technique.

The iconic “da-da-da, da-da-da” theme song was composed in 1989 by John Colby, a composer, producer, music director and keyboardist who worked as ESPN’s music director.

Luna released her eponymous debut album in November. It features covers of Pink Floyd and Hendrix as well as originals.

The contest can be accessed at “SportCenter’s” Facebook page.

To watch and vote! ▶