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Barbara Stewart, Kazooby (Eagle) and Chef Whitney Stewart, with Joyful
Noise National Kazoo Day Cake.
Photo by Heidi Hopper |
Send your kazoo news and comments.
To keep you informed,
we will post what we feel like...
Send news and comments to info@howtokazoo.com. |
National Kazoo Day Was Jan 28, 2009!
Photo by Heidi Hopper
National Kazoo Day 2009 was celebrated
on Wed. Jan. 28th, because it is convenient to Your Chairperson. (Our
rules designate the 4th Thursday in January or whenever convenient to
the kazooist.) See more Kazoo cake photos and photos from WHAM
Channel 13 celebration. Click here
for more
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Note
from Joanne
Hello,
My name is Joanne and I am involved with a Jazz Band from the UK called
The Harmonelles, the main instrument we play is the Kazoo, although
this is a diffferent shape to the american version as it is more of
a trumpet shape.
This type of band has been around since the 1920's and was most popular
in mining communities, the name jazz band came from the jazzy costumes
they used to wear.
I am sending you some you tube links to my band, I hope you enjoy them:
http://uk.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0086395B7E94906C
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-xtx0QmkuJg
http://uk.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=D19064C7792948E7
Note from Barbara Stewart
Joanne,
What a fun group! I love your precision drills. Be sure and pick up a
copy of The
Complete How to Kazoo to
inspire new ideas for marching band formations!
Incidentally, the trumpet-shaped instruments
you are playing are very high quality, made in the UK by Newcastle Drum.
I have one myself, and luxuriate in the sound. These high-end mirlitons
are a variation on the kazoo, with a double resonator. In the late 1800s
in the US this version was called a “zobo”. That instrument,
while voice activated with a stretched membrane, has a double resonator
and a stainless steel bell. This gives it a much clearer quality, more
closely resembling a true brass instrument.
The true kazoo is, of course, an American instrument,
with a much fuzzier sound, beloved by generations of kazooists. True
kazoos are distinguished from other varieties of similar instruments
of the mirliton family by the turret on top. The turret acts musically
as a collection device for the “antagonistic vibrations”,
giving it the unique fuzzy quality, as well as a distinctive “submarine
shape”. |
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Photo by Heidi Hopper |
Ginger the Cat kazooing her famous meow sound. Yes!
We heard it!!! |
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Here is a favorite
with discerning Kazoodaphiles - the
Porwizorka Jazz Band. There are recordings available through the link
www.zendotavern.com and there will be more information soon
through that site. Check it out! |
National Kazoo Day Is January 28, 2009!!
National Kazoo Day occurs annually (although in some
regions, more often) on or about January 28 - or whenever convenient
for the kazooist.
As
stated by founder Chaplain Willard Rahn of the Joyful Noise
Kazoo Band at the Homewood Retirement Home in Williamsport,
Maryland, "After
all, we have to be flexible."
Many kazooists choose the fourth Thursday in January
because it's handy.
In 1983, while browsing through Readers Digest,
Chaplain Rahn saw a note on National Tuba Day. If tubas, why not
kazoos? Chaplain Rahn and the Joyful Noise Kazoo Band decided to DO
something and establish National Kazoo Day.
Unfortunately
the oldest kazoo band in the world (average age 88.6666)
initially had some difficulty making their voices heard.
They were wisely referred by "How To Kazoo" author
Barbara Stewart to the Associated Press , which had no hearing
problem whatsoever - and the rest is kazoo history.
Led in their campaign by Chaplain Willard Rahn, the
Joyful Noise Kazoo Band marched triumphantly though red tape, as
National Kazoo Day was officially established on or about the fourth
Thursday in January. Ask not what you can kazoo for your country!
Unfortunately,
Chase’s Calendar (McGraw Hill) no
longer lists National Kazoo Day, so word is passed on by oral
tradition. It lives on in the hearts and minds of all loyal
kazooists, who hand down the culture to future generations.
Information
Taken From "The
Complete How To Kazoo" by Barbara Stewart. |
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Here are 10th Mt. Division Troops
in Afghanistan, who will be receiving Stealth Kazoos to entertain them
in their off duty time. When we receive Stealth Kazooing
photos, they will be posted on the X-Treme Kazooing
page or here on the Blog. (You don't have to be in the Army
to practice Stealth Kazooing. Send
us your photo!)
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Share Arts recruit John Marsh, watchmaker/machinist & decorated
WW II veteran, 10th Mountain Division (bronze star from campaign in
Italy) - assembling Stealth Kazoos in the Share Arts production line
(dining room table).
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Combat Kazooing! Here is the 173rd
Army Airborne kazooing in Iraq
in 2004. See the Combat Kazoo Report on page 176 of The Complete How to
Kazoo Book, when it is issued by Workman Publishing in
August 2006.
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Capt. Paul and Lt. Jean Miller,
Share Arts volunteers, assembling Keep
America Humming Kazoos (with attached eagle finger puppets)
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Watch all the latest adventures of Mr. Kazoo at www.clipsandquips.com.
The brainchild of film and TV producer Boaz Frankel, the site also has
fun interviews with celebrities enticed into kazooing on camera.
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 Want
to find Rick Hubbard’s Kazoo Tour schedule? Need more kazoo news? Check
out the Kazoobie, Inc site at www.kazoos.com for
dates, events, products and everything kazoo.
“In his shows around the country, Rick gives each
audience member a kazoo, and forms a giant kazoo band. Over the years
Rick has given away over a million kazoos.“
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Want great blues kazoos? Look for lead kazooist David
Evans and the Last Chance Jug Band.
They’re the real thing from Memphis...
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Here’s
my favorite band without music, The Nihilist
Spasm Band from
London, Ontario CANADA. It’s the oldest continuously operating
noise band around. They have mixed disorganized sound, combining
kazoos, homemade and plugged-in instruments since the 1960s.
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