That little plastic instrument that we all had as kids is the American adaptation of several African wind instruments, called mirlitons. Mirlitons use a thin vibrating membrane to change the sound of a voice. In Africa it was used in religious ceremonies or to imitate animal sounds for hunting. Mirliton flutes were used in the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe as well.

In it’s modern form, however, it is a uniquely American instrument, hence National Kazoo Day, January 28th. This year marks the illustrious kazoo’s 160th birthday. It was modified into it’s current form by a former slave, Alabama Vest of Macon, GA. Clockmaker Thaddeus von Clegg , a German immigrant, manufactured the device, and it was introduced two years later at the 1852 Georgia State Fair.

The kazoo gets a bad rap because it is so easy for anyone to play. However, like most instruments easily played, it is not easy to play it well. Increased air flow and harder blowing/humming create more pleasant sounds than what we are accustomed to hearing when we hand a cheap plastic kazoo to a five-year-old.

he kazoo has been used famously by Jimi Hendrix on “Crosstown Traffic,” and in Jesse Fuller's 1962 song "San Francisco Bay Blues.” It’s been used on Broadway and TV, for comic relief and effect, and in various types of music from jazz to blues to classical with varying degrees of success.

Today, one can buy kazoos made of plastic or metal and in a variety of different shapes and sizes. They have a huge price range reflecting the differences in quality from about a dollar to $150 dollars. It's fairly easy to make them using household items, and is a common project for kids. It is an instrument that is available to both the rich and the poor, and one that most of us have lying around somewhere. So this year, break out those kazoos and celebrate a uniquely American instrument.