Friday, February 02, 2007

George Kamikawa

Some years ago, Mrs Impala and I stumbled across a rare and precious thing: a talented street busker in Bourke Street. George Kamikawa [warning: Linux-hostile site requiring Flash and/or Shockwave] is a Japanese musician who had taken up Blues and Country music just a few years earlier.

Last night we went to see him do a live gig at the Rainbow Hotel in Fitzroy. He is even better now: well and truly into virtuoso territory with the guitar, steel guitar and harmonica. He even made the kazoo sound less awful than usual.

Although George's English isn't fantastic, it is good enough, and barely detectable while singing -- even in Van Morrison's "Crazy Love". Not being a Blues aficionado, I didn't recognise many of the songs he played, but he shure made perty noises *wink*

See also this blog post about George, with links to various clips on YouTube.

If you're in Melbourne, check him out.

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