A little holiday withdrawal got you down? Valentine’s Day is still a couple weeks off but have no fear my friends, this Wednesday, January 28, 2009 is National Kazoo Day. The kazoo, that most egalitarian of all instruments, where no experience is necessary to become a maestro. This step-by-step kazoo how-to (or kazutorial) illustrates my point.

While similar instruments have been used in Africa for hundreds of years, the modern day kazoo was invented by an African American man named Alabama Vest in Macon, Georgia who partnered with local German emigrant clockmaker Thaddeus von Clegg to manufacture it. Alabama Vent - possibly the best inventor name ever. The kazoo was first introduced to the public at the Georgia State Fair in 1852. And ta-dah! - history was made.

Little did Mr. Vent know that more than 150 years later his instrument would continue to be celebrated by soloists and kazoo bands alike The photograph above shows the National Youth Administration Rhythm Band in 1936 playing their kazoos in Sandwich, Illinois. In recognition of National Kazoo Day you may want to consider forming a band of your own. Plastic kazoos cost on average less than two bucks a piece - an instrument price rivaled only by the whistle. But free is even better - I was tickled to find the following ad placed on the San Francisco Bay Area Craigslist:

CAPTAIN KAZOO and The KAZOOMOBILE will be parked somewhere on CASTRO ST.in MT. VIEW between El Camino Real and the RR TRACKS from NOON till 8:00 PM on WED. JAN. 28, 2009…GIVING AWAY FREE KAZOOS TO EVERYONE !

Kazoobie Kazoos is a great online resource for all manner of kazoos including an electric kazoo or the fantastic examples below resembling the trumpet, french horn and trombone. Apparently, these kazoos masquerading as other instruments have been around for awhile as seen in this YouTube video by a kazoo musician and collector (who plays a mean kazoo and ukulele).

But lest you think of the kazoo as old-fashioned, I give you the following inspired kazoo rendition of Metallica’s Enter Sandman. If your browser doesn’t support YouTube videos you can also view it here.

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