Mondo Guitaro explores and celebrates guitar-driven instrumental music of mid-century cinema and radio. From the sunbaked deserts of Ennio Morricone's spaghetti western soundscapes, to sun-drenched California’s surf music scene, the electric guitar gave a modern voice to composers and musicians.

This voice was reimagined by Leo Fender, the sonic mad-scientist, whose guitar and amplifier designs encouraged more expressive playing and put studio effects such as reverb and tremolo at player’s fingertips. Meanwhile, rival Fred Gretsch pushed the boundaries of his hollow body guitars, unleashing a beguiling, twangy tone that captured the hearts (and ears) of a generation.

"I compose because I need to express the inexpressible; music has a language beyond words.” - Ennio Morricone

Mondo Guitaro hails from the dusty back roads of Chatham County, NC. Mark Murphy and Brian Fady have been writing and performing in El Mirage, a dynamic and enduring four-piece surf combo formed among friends, since 2010. The two started getting together while the shadow of the pandemic darkened the doors of most music venues. Within a few years their collection of originals and select covers achieved critical mass, and Mondo Guitaro was ready to venture beyond the comfort of the woodshed.