Who played the kazoo on Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Crosstown Traffic’ in 1969?

Jimi Hendrix played the kazoo heard in his 1969 song ‘Crosstown Traffic’, using it to suggest the sound of traffic. The unusual part helps give the track its buzzy, energetic character and reflects Hendrix’s willingness to use unconventional sounds in rock music.

The song’s traffic is a metaphor for trying to get through to a woman who does not understand that others want her to leave. Hendrix preferred the kazoo to actual car horns, and, as the idea and melody were his, he played the instrument himself. Though often associated with psychedelia, he criticised bands that he felt prioritised light shows over music.