Ben Redwine retired from the United Stated Naval Academy Band in 2014. So I looked out the window as I often did to the sky and I said, God, if you get me out of this, Ill do anything. And about two minutes later, the principal came on the loudspeaker, and she said, Anybody interested in joining the band, report to the band room immediately. I raised my hand, and that band director, you know, he was only there for a certain amount of time so, you know, he didnt pick everybody but he did pick me. So, he was Uncle Al after that. The band room is bigger than any other class, and its got pictures of all of these beautiful instruments and stuff like that, which was really cool. When I went to college, I didnt know what an A clarinet was, but I learned that I needed to buy one. DK: Dorian, my daughter has been playing with us since she was 4. Where to See Live Music in New Orleans, Top 8 Things to Do in Algiers Point Neighborhood, NOLA History: Andrew Higgins, The Man Who Won The War. In the meantime, my husbands father passed away, then shortly after, my father passed away, so we moved back to New Orleans. [1] Now it's time to discover her yourself. Doreen ran an eatery called Doreens Sweets until she and Lawrence realized they could make money following their first passion, music, after seeing so many musicians seemingly do so on the streets. Preservation Hall, Doreen Ketchens to be featured on 'CBS Sunday Morning' this weekend 1 of 7 Veteran newscaster Ted Koppel, right, interviews the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in December 2021. Look outside! The group has toured the world, and performs in the Royal Street Performing Arts zone in the French Quarter of New Orleans, at jazz festivals, fairs, showcases, and concert halls. Doreen Ketchens is an American jazz clarinetist who performs Dixieland and Trad Jazz. I played those until 2018, but I played them so much that I wore indentations through the beak of the mouthpiece. I Was There. I saw her yesterday on Royal St. Despite that, they found success with their street shows, and eventually through jazz festivals and sales of their albums.. He would also later become her arranger and band member, but, at the time, it was through Lawrence that the classically trained clarinetist found a passion for Jazz. As California continues to deal with the wrath of the winter storms, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for more than a dozen counties. I just thought it was so pretty, but when I played it, it sounded terrible until I changed reeds to 4.5, and then it was amazing. She is the woman who defied the rejection she received early in her career, but always continues to go back to her corner in front of the Rouses to play with her family. Thats when I discovered Doreen on YouTube. In a two-day operation targeting illegal street takeovers, LAPD arrests one person wanted for attempted murder and another wanted for hit-and-run. CBS News She is, after all, a classically-trained musician. The takeover group headed north toward Roselawn Avenue and Pomona Boulevard, where they continued to perform dangerous maneuvers in their cars, according to police. A stylistically unique ensemble from day one, the members of Doreen's Jazz have been singing, performing, and playing in sync as if theyd been together their entire musical careers. We were supposed to play with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) in March of 2020, which, of course, was postponed because of COVID. Then he said, But, you still have to practice! I was really looking forward to that performance, and it really hurt me when he passed away Email will originate from [email protected]. She began to study with clarinetist Stanley Weinstein. Doreen Ketchens' guitarist. Its been about a month since I did a YouTube lesson. Photo credit: Diane Danthony (dianedanthonyphotography.com). By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Pomona. She has been featured in numerous documentaries about New Orleans, its music, and its heritage, and she has been seen on television in shows like HBO's Treme. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Shell never forget her most important mission to make music accessible and shared with everyone. Jazz & Music festivals Doreen Ketchens has performed at: Fan and media videos of her performances have been seen globally by millions of people on YouTube and other social media outlets with one video by the NOLA Insider Guide on Facebook reaching more than 3.9M people by October 2015. Live, performing in the greatest traditions of the music, at the Royal Street Performing Arts Zone.That heavenly sound wafting down from Royal Street and St. Peter is the magical clarinet of the great Doreen Ketchens, one of the world's top Jazz clarinetists, and her band, Doreen's Jazz New Orleans, is performing on St. Peter, the French Quarter street closed to traffic as a space for live performance, in their usual spot on at the corner of Royal Street and St Peter.She packs the tent at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival every year, and amazes and delights clubs in the North America, Europe, Latin America, and at corporate events and private parties. Walking down Royal Street on a sunny afternoon, you are very likely to find Doreen Ketchens wailing on her clarinet, leading an enthusiastic band and delighting passersby with her vibrant personality and bold, joyful sound. I didnt even know what it was called, it just looked pretty, so I chose the clarinet! I sat on the side where the girls had congregated, and I saw a poster of a flute. If I had been raised by Mr. Marsalis, I would be the greatest clarinetist in the whole world, Id know everything there is to know about music, and everything, because he had this way of pushing you and making you feel like dirt if you didnt live up to his standards. Rain or shine, Doreen's magnetic performance draws crowds to the corner of Royal and St. Peter each. She was tasked with learning how to play the clarinet her second choice, after all the other girls signed up for the flute. Doreen's Jazz New Orleans is a Dixieland and Traditional Jazz band created and led by clarinetist Doreen Ketchens. BR: There are some locally and internationally famous music educators associated with New Orleans. Back in January, I was recording a film for Branford Marsalis, Ellis came around a few times, and we had worked out what we were going to play one song together, and one song as a solo with the LPO. Useful 2. About Doreen Ketchens. People would come to sit in, and they could play circles around me. (Photo: Adriana Lopez). Its their privilege to lose. 11:00a to 3p., weather permitting. They had a pageant every year, which was a fundraiser, and it was around Mardi Gras time. Get our L.A. DK: When I started, all I could do was play melodies. FOX 11. We had a pop quiz one day. You dont want to sound like youre playing an etude book. Ketchens has performed for four U.S. presidents: Bill Clinton, George Bush Sr., Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter,[1] and was described by Nola.com in 2012 as one of the cultural ambassadors of New Orleans.[2]. I made fine grades, and kept up musically, I just didnt think I was! Mr. Marsalis had a way of looking straight through you when you didnt do what you were supposed to. BR: Thank you for sharing your life with the readers of The Clarinet! Ill hear something he plays, which Ive heard thousands of times, and Ill think, What? Give me, a kiss to build a dream on . 2:00 PM. She has performed at concert halls, music festivals, and U.S. embassies, as well as in decades of weekly performances in Dixieland 's tradition in the Royal Street Performing Arts Zone in the French Quarter of New Orleans with her band, Doreen's Jazz New Orleans. When I have experienced this, the look on an amateurs face is priceless, as they seem to be having the time of their life. BR: There is a lovely tradition in the music scene in New Orleans where bands allow and encourage other musicians, regardless of ability, to sit in with their band. You must have confidence when you are playing music! Mr. Batiste was a rocket scientist. . Earlier in his career, he worked for Eastsider L.A. Now that you are established, do any other bands steal your spot? For all of the nicknames for New Orleans (the Big Easy, the Crescent City, etc. He told me, You know, you probably didnt do as badly in that audition as you think you did. Before that, Solis was at the Redding Record Searchlight as a multimedia journalist, where he anchored coverage of the destructive 2017 fires in Northern California. He retired to New Orleans, where he performs frequently in both classical and jazz genres. Sign Up. To this day, you can still catch them performing there frequently, in between attending festivals and performing at schools around the world to educate students of all ages. Some people call me Mrs. Satchmo, I guess because that concept is in my head. Of all the clarinetists in the city, only one is sometimes called Lady Louis, or the Female Louis Armstrong, or Queen Clarinet. Doreen Ketchens has been performing in New Orleans, mostly on Royal Street, for decades. BR: You are known in New Orleans as a street musician, and you have performed on Royal Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans for many years. He was principal clarinetist of the Hartford Symphony, but had Lou Gehrigs disease, and couldnt play anymore. As the bandleader of Doreens Jazz New Orleans, Doreen and her band have become ambassadors for the city of New Orleans, campaigning for her beloved hometown and its well-known traditional Jazz music through performance and education. I remember we were auditioning for the Louisiana Music Educators Association honor band, and I was feeling low because I didnt think I did very well on the audition. That would be really cool. I saw her yesterday on Royal St. Doreen Ketchens is a regular on Royal Street, the home for street performers in New Orleans French Quarter. Recorded live on April 5, 2012 with a Nikon D800 DSLR using a Rode Vid. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. I'd bet you can go there most days to hear her. Since weve been playing for so long, if someone is in my spot, and I show up, theyll say, Oh, Doreen, I didnt know you were coming today. There is respect among musicians. I found it very frustrating. DK: I always have saved for a rainy day, but I didnt know it would be a rainy year! Eventually, I realized what he was doing, and it translated into me being able to improvise. Ketchens performing at the French Quarter Jazz Festival in New Orleans, 2010, University of Hartford's The Hartt School, "Doreen and her Jazz New Orleans band got nothing but love at New Orleans Jazz Fest", Facebook Posting - Doreen's Jazz New Orleans, Doreen Ketchens Saint Peter Street New Orleans, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Doreen_Ketchens&oldid=1137578206, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2021, Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "Civil Dysfunction Meets Civil Disobedience", Tyler Perry's Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor, Doreen's Jazz New Orleans Live in Korea 2006, Doreen's Jazz New Orleans Live in New Orleans 2015, Doreen's Jazz XXI Triple Threat Series Part IV, Doreen's Jazz XX Triple Threat Series Part III, Doreen's Jazz XVIV Triple Threat Series Part II, This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 10:57. 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