From the Coloradoan Newspaper on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011
It would be easy to write off shamisen player Kevin Kmetz as a novelty act if all you knew were his YouTube covers of Led Zeppelin tunes and performances with his side project God of Shamisen. But hear him performing minyos (Japanese folk songs), and you'd realize Kmetz is a lot more than a guy with a gimmick.
Sure, an American-born guy with long hair and a kimono playing Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog" on a Japanese three-stringed lute is a good way to catch people's attention. But Kmetz has trained with some of the world's most renowned shamisen players, and his love for this instrument is clear from the first note.
The first non-Japanese performer to have participated - and placed - in Japan's annual Tsugaru Shamisen tournament, Kmetz will perform Tuesday with his project, Monsters of Shamisen, as part of CSU's Virtuoso Concert Series. The trio - also featuring Mike Penny and Masahiro Nitta - integrates the traditional Japanese instrument with Western musical styles, such as classical, Balkan gypsy, American bluegrass, Irish folk and modern rock/pop.
See the Monsters of Shamisen in concert:
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2011, 7:30 p.m., Organ Recital Hall, UCA