Kevin Kmetz
Encyclopedia
Kevin Kmetzis an American guitarist and shamisen
player. He is best known as the front man of the shamisen-based rock band, God of Shamisen. He has also recently become a full member of Santa Cruz, California
eclectic band Estradasphere
along with fellow God of Shamisen member Lee Smith. He is the first foreigner in history to win the honorary Daijo Kazuo Award at the Tsugaru Shamisen Championship Competition in Kanagi, Japan on May 5, 2005 and the "Judges Choice" Award at the Hirosaki Championship tournament May 4, 2005. In both 2006 and 2007, Kevin placed Nyusho (runner-up) at Hirosaki and Jyun Yuusho (2nd place) at Kanagi.
He received his BFA Music composition degree from California Institute of the Arts
' School of Music in 1995. Performed with the J.S. Bach Experience in the late 90s and moved to Santa Cruz in 2003.
Other bands Kevin Kmetz has performed with include Fishtank Ensemble
, JS Bach Experience, Carne Cruda and El Douje. He has also performed in Japan with a band called Shirakami.
Background: BFA Music composition degree from Cal Arts School of Music (1995). Performed with the J.S. Bach Experience in the late 90s and moved to Santa Cruz in 2003. after approximately 20 years as a rock guitarist and wacky composer, Kevin was kidnapped in northern Japan where he was forced to learn the local art of Tsugaru Shamisen. Emerging as a shamisen master, Kevin returned to his new home in Santa Cruz, California, where he is currently working intensely with the phenomenal Estradasphere. Kevin's goal is to create a true fusion of cultures by combining traditional Tsugaru Shamisen with modern rock, surf, metal, funk & noise!
Musical Influences & Inspirations: Kinoshita Shinichi, Cryptopsy, J.S. Bach.
Kevin graduated High School in northern Japan (Misawa Air Force Base, Misawa, Japan) at Robert D. Edgren High School, a Department of Defense Dependent's School.
Shamisen
The , also called is a three-stringed, Japanese musical instrument played with a plectrum called a bachi. The Japanese pronunciation is usually "shamisen" but sometimes "jamisen" when used as a suffix . -Construction:The shamisen is a plucked stringed instrument...
player. He is best known as the front man of the shamisen-based rock band, God of Shamisen. He has also recently become a full member of Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
eclectic band Estradasphere
Estradasphere
Estradasphere was an experimental band that originated in Santa Cruz, California during the late 1990s. The band, which in its last incarnation was based in Seattle, consisted of 6 multi-instrumentalists from a variety of musical backgrounds trained in disciplines ranging from classical music and...
along with fellow God of Shamisen member Lee Smith. He is the first foreigner in history to win the honorary Daijo Kazuo Award at the Tsugaru Shamisen Championship Competition in Kanagi, Japan on May 5, 2005 and the "Judges Choice" Award at the Hirosaki Championship tournament May 4, 2005. In both 2006 and 2007, Kevin placed Nyusho (runner-up) at Hirosaki and Jyun Yuusho (2nd place) at Kanagi.
He received his BFA Music composition degree from California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
' School of Music in 1995. Performed with the J.S. Bach Experience in the late 90s and moved to Santa Cruz in 2003.
Other bands Kevin Kmetz has performed with include Fishtank Ensemble
Fishtank Ensemble
Fishtank Ensemble is a Euro-American musical group that formed in Oakland, California in 2004. They perform a variety of traditional musical styles including klezmer, flamenco, Japanese folk and Roma music....
, JS Bach Experience, Carne Cruda and El Douje. He has also performed in Japan with a band called Shirakami.
Background: BFA Music composition degree from Cal Arts School of Music (1995). Performed with the J.S. Bach Experience in the late 90s and moved to Santa Cruz in 2003. after approximately 20 years as a rock guitarist and wacky composer, Kevin was kidnapped in northern Japan where he was forced to learn the local art of Tsugaru Shamisen. Emerging as a shamisen master, Kevin returned to his new home in Santa Cruz, California, where he is currently working intensely with the phenomenal Estradasphere. Kevin's goal is to create a true fusion of cultures by combining traditional Tsugaru Shamisen with modern rock, surf, metal, funk & noise!
Musical Influences & Inspirations: Kinoshita Shinichi, Cryptopsy, J.S. Bach.
Kevin graduated High School in northern Japan (Misawa Air Force Base, Misawa, Japan) at Robert D. Edgren High School, a Department of Defense Dependent's School.