Two examples of the kazoo

The kazoo, a simple musical instrument (membranophone) that adds tonal qualities when the player hums into it. The kazoo is a type of mirliton - a device which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membrane.

History

Such instruments have been used in Africa for hundreds of years, to disguise the sound of somebody's voice or to imitate animals, for example, often for ceremonial purposes. It was on such an instrument that the kazoo, invented by an African American named Alabama Vest in the 19th century in Macon, Georgia, is based. The first kazoo was manufactured to Vest's specifications by Thaddeus von Clegg, a German clockmaker in Macon. The kazoo was first publicized at the Georgia State Fair in 1852.

The first metal kazoos were manufactured and patented in Eden, New York, where they are still made in the original factory. A temporary kazoo can be made by combining comb and tissue paper or wax paper.

Professional usage

The kazoo is played professionally in jug bands and comedy music, and by amateurs everywhere. It is one of the few acoustic instruments to be developed in the United States and one of the easiest melodic instruments to play well, requiring only the ability to hum in tune.

In the Original Dixieland Jass Band 1921 recording of "Crazy Blues", what the casual listener might mistake for a trombone solo is actually a kazoo solo by drummer Tony Sbarbaro. The Mound City Blue Blowers had a number of hit kazoo records in the early 1920s. The Mound City Blue Blowers featured Dick Slevin on metal kazoo and Red McKenzie on comb and tissue paper kazoo.

The kazoo is not often found in classical music, a rare exception being David Bedford's With 100 Kazoos, a piece which emphasises the simplicity of the instrument - rather than being played by trained musicians, kazoos are handed out to members of the audience, who accompany a professional instrumental ensemble.

Kazoos in pop culture

In the song "Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz", Sesame Street character Big Bird ponders if abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz is a "strange type of kazoo".

The kazoo is one of the key elements of the game "Swanee-kazoo" played on the BBC Radio 4 comedy game show I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue (another key element being the swanee whistle).

External links

• Rick Hubbard's Kazoobie Home Page (http://www.kazoobie.com/)
• Kazooco (http://www.kazooco.com/index.htm), kazoo museum and historic manufacturer
• Eden, NY (http://www.edenny.org/kazoo.html), home of Kazooco
• "This is a kazoo!" (http://www.captainkazoo.com/kazois.html) more history, including details on the mirliton.
• List of pop kazoo performances (http://www.kazoos.com/popkazoo.htm) including Eric Clapton, The Kinks, and Pink Floyd.
• Ever wondered what a Kazoo sounds like through a wah-wah pedal? (http://www.wahkazoo.co.uk)