Jen Farley is a Wisconsin musician and current member of the Madison-based band, Gin, Chocolate & Bottle Rockets, where she unexpectedly discovered her kazoo talents.
The band, which has been performing for 12 years, plays original inspirational female empowerment songs, along with covers of popular artists like Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt.
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It was during a performance of one of their originals that Farley discovered her talent on the kazoo.
“One of our original songs is called ‘This House,’ and in that song, I one day pulled out a kazoo and did a solo with the kazoo,” Farley said. “So people would just cheer every time I would do it. And then the band started joking that it had been said that I was the Aretha Franklin of kazoo playing.”
Now, Farley is using her kazoo skills to give back to her community.
She and her band-mate, Beth Kille, teamed up with Girls Rock Camp Madison and Monroe Street Art Center to host a fundraiser, “Kazoo Karaoke,” at High Noon Saloon on April 12. The event was inspired by finding joy during the pandemic, and proceeds benefited the Monroe Street Arts Center and Girls Rock Camp Madison.
“Because my band-mate knew how much I loved the kazoo and they were coming up with this fundraising idea, I was asked to dust off my PhD, my ‘professional humming directive,’ and be the MC for this event,” Farley said. “So it has taken on a life of its own.”
At Kazoo Karaoke, participants received free kazoos and could customize them at a “kazoo bedazzling station” along with button-making and other arts and crafts activities. Participants performed popular songs, including “Shake it Off” and “Yellow Submarine.”
This was the second year of the fundraiser. Farley said she hopes to make it an annual event.
“You could be as fun and creative and dress up as much as you want. And basically you played the kazoo to whatever song,” Farley said. “And honestly, it was just full of joy. It was all about joy.”
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While she loves the fundraising and entainment aspects of the event, Farley says it also encourages adult creativity.
Outside of the band, Farley is a certified life coach with the International Coaching Federation. She shared how this event allows adults to explore freedom and creativity.
“As adults, when we try something, we think we have to do it perfect the first time. But allowing yourself to try to grow and to do different things,” Farley said. “So, Kazoo Karaoke, these creativity workshops, these are all opportunities for adults to find the joy that we had as children.”
