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Kevin Kmetz
In 2005 Kevin became the first foreigner to enter and win awards at the Hirosaki and Kanagi Championship tournaments for Tsugaru Shamisen.
Kevin currently lives in Santa Cruz, California where he teaches Tsugaru Shamisen and guitar at the New Music School in Santa Cruz. He has also joined several famous American bands (including Secret Chiefs 3 and Estradasphere) as the first American Shamisen Rock musician to release CDs and tour the country. In fall of 2004 he formed the epic Death Metal/ Funk/Prog Rock extravaganza which became known as GOD OF SHAMISEN. These God of Shamisen shows would include Human Sacrifice, Tibetan bowl Meditation, and would feature ultra Shredding Shamisen riffs mixed with Insane Metal drumming and howling guitar, bass and keyboards. Guest musicians will often jump on stage including violinists, accordian players and even Rappers! In this way Kevin is truly revolutionizing the world of Shamisen by introducing a whole new hip approach to this once ancient instrument and by creating a steadily growing collection of new compositions that reflect the modern world just as accurately as Tsugaru Shamisen once captured the landscape and spirit of northern Japan.
In 2005 Kevin became the first foreigner to enter and win awards at the Hirosaki and Kanagi Championship tournaments for Tsugaru Shamisen.
Kevin currently lives in Santa Cruz, California where he teaches Tsugaru Shamisen and guitar at the New Music School in Santa Cruz. He has also joined several famous American bands (including Secret Chiefs 3 and Estradasphere) as the first American Shamisen Rock musician to release CDs and tour the country. In fall of 2004 he formed the epic Death Metal/ Funk/Prog Rock extravaganza which became known as GOD OF SHAMISEN. These God of Shamisen shows would include Human Sacrifice, Tibetan bowl Meditation, and would feature ultra Shredding Shamisen riffs mixed with Insane Metal drumming and howling guitar, bass and keyboards. Guest musicians will often jump on stage including violinists, accordian players and even Rappers! In this way Kevin is truly revolutionizing the world of Shamisen by introducing a whole new hip approach to this once ancient instrument and by creating a steadily growing collection of new compositions that reflect the modern world just as accurately as Tsugaru Shamisen once captured the landscape and spirit of northern Japan.
