(Photo: Adriana Lopez). He used to call me Ms. Joseph, my maiden name. Even if youre successful, its not easy. 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. CHP officers said that when they arrived at the scene they saw plumes of smoke from people performing burnouts. BR: How are you faring with this pandemic we are all suffering through, and how are you coping with the sudden change in livelihood and lifestyle? Link: Doreen . 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. Want this Picture? In the fifth grade while attending Joseph Craig Elementary, she signed up for the school band in order to escape a pop quiz. Dispatchers with the Pomona Police Department received a call just before 9 p.m. from a concerned citizen who reported the drivers were doing burnouts in a shopping center parking lot. Doreen grew up in Trem, a New Orleans neighborhood that birthed several extraordinary musicians including Kermit Ruffins, Trombone Shorty, Louis Prima, and The Rebirth Brass Band, just to name a few. Recently, the artistalso known as Queen Clarinethas gained renewed attention from a resurfaced 2018 video where she performs a mind . You know what I mean? I enjoyed the article Los Cabos, So Luxe, by Rosemary McClure (March 31). Their styles at the time were against what I was studying, trying to get a perfect classical clarinet tone. She said the Police Department has a zero-tolerance stance regarding street takeovers/street racing.. 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. BR: There is a protocol for claiming a spot on the street in New Orleans. We had a pop quiz one day. Throughout the course of the bands union, they have won over the hearts of music lovers from all walks of life; performing at a variety of venues, making loads of public appearances, all the while recording new music. Its crazy, but its what you do! DK: I was in fifth grade, we were at lunch, and there was a rumor going around that wed have a pop quiz. New York, NY. So, I started to look for a new mouthpiece, and I saw the DAddario marbled mouthpiece. I won first chair in that audition! Listen, listen, listen! I hope it sets the record straight about what is needed. Recorded live on April 5, 2012 with a Nikon D800 DSLR using a Rode Vid. He retired to New Orleans, where he performs frequently in both classical and jazz genres. So I told my mom, I ran home, I said, Mom we have to raise some money because I want to be queen, and all this other stuff, and she said, Well what Ill do is Ill just sell a little candy out of the front door, and thats what she did. Id start out transcribing solos, then playing by ear, copying what those clarinetists were doing. I remember running down the hall breathing a sigh of relief, having gotten out of the test. Free concert series in the idyllic Sauk County setting of Witwen Campground. When the first question came to me, I got it wrong. Does Doreen still regularly play on Royal St.? Published September 6, 2022. The Jazz Scene: Queen Clarinet: Interview with Doreen Ketchens. Royal St. @ St. Peter St., Friday - Sunday, 11am - 1pm. POMONA, Calif. - Over two dozen people were arrested during an illegal street . Now it's time to discover her yourself. When officers arrived on scene, they saw a large plume of tire smoke caused by numerous burnouts as well as people attempting to flee the location. The vast majority of arrests were for spectating and/or participating in an illegal street takeover. 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. 155. Your email address will not be published. We created our own gigs by playing out on the street, and weve gone many places in the world from the street from that very corner. Find hidden gems and get insider information on NOLAs best restaurants, bars, attractions, and events every week. For all of the nicknames for New Orleans (the Big Easy, the Crescent City, etc. Lineup: ----- Doreen Ketchens http://bnds.in/LQZu54 Find Local Concerts: http://bnds.in/jlStT0 On a recent weekend, the task force issued 300 citations, impound 50 vehicles, and arrested 20 individuals, according to the CHP website. I played those until 2018, but I played them so much that I wore indentations through the beak of the mouthpiece. Im not a child anymore, but Im going to be okay! A stylistically unique ensemble from day one, the members of Doreen's Jazz have been singing, performing, and playing in sync as if they'd been together their entire musical careers. To this day, Doreen continues to perform at Jazz festivals around the world, including her annual spot in the economy tent at Jazz Fest. Edmund Hall had this thing he could do, where it sounds like he was playing two tones at the same time. In front of the rouses around 12:30pm. My school had an arrangement with the New Orleans Philharmonic where we would hear the symphony several times a year, so I had a pretty wide exposure to two genres of music, funky jazz street beats and classical music. He gave me some advice which I didnt really understand, then he said retrogression. I still didnt understand him, but he said it again, then showed me on the piano. NS: Well the clarinet and your experience on the street has carried you worldwide. Come and be amazed. Most of the people were arrested on suspicion of spectating or participating in the takeover. When I went to college, I didnt know what an A clarinet was, but I learned that I needed to buy one. Get 2023 tour dates, venue details, concert reviews, photos and more at Bandsintown. Planning a visit to New Orleans? Those cats were awesome too! 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. Originally published in The Clarinet 48/2 (March 2021). As we got older, we realized how to make more money in less time, so now, we play for about 5 hours a day. Police issued eight parking citations and a moving citation and impounded a vehicle, according to Pomona police spokesperson Aly Mejia. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. At that time, there were four funeral homes within three blocks of our home, so Second Lines would pass constantly, passing my house and my school several times every week. We have been enjoying her for more than 25 years. And I was looking around at the instruments and stuff, and I said, Wow, I saw a flute. The clarinet was right next to it, and I said, Well, I want to play the clarinet.. I made fine grades, and kept up musically, I just didnt think I was! Doreen Ketchens (born October 3, 1966) is an American jazz clarinetist who performs Dixieland and Trad Jazz. That's when I discovered Doreen on YouTube. You have to practice and be ready to perform at the drop of a hat. Her tips and lessons she has on her channel are too advanced for me, yet, but I can't get enough of watching her slay and would kill to see her play in person and show a token of my appreciation. . The sites Ive found that would have upcoming tour dates arent showing anything, but if anyone knows a better place to look (besides the first page of Google results) Id love to catch a show when were there Nov. 6-10, and Id really love to be able to show her some love in person (financially, not stalker-y) whether its buying tickets or throwing it in the hat. Public performance. Listen to other people, find what stimulates you. Baldy area remains closed due to 'avalanche danger'. I learned a lot from him! I was destroying these beautiful instruments in the weather, so Im glad I found this composite clarinet. 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. Wed start at 9 in the morning and play until 9 or sometimes even until 11 at night! It was a very common instrument. Doreen Ketchens playing When the Saints Go Marching In on Royal Street in New Orleans. Royal Street Performing Arts Zone. Sometimes people surprise you! BR: Tell us about the equipment you play. Do you have any thoughts about this cultural phenomenon? I approached Mr. Marsalis, and said, You know, I need some help. Ben Redwine retired from the United Stated Naval Academy Band in 2014. [8], She has been featured in numerous documentaries about New Orleans, its heritage, and its music, including several profiles by WWOZ, New Orleans' Jazz radio station including a video profiles and audio programs, and dozens of articles from major newspapers and magazines around the world. 2023 GoNOLA.com, New Orleans & Company. He was just being kind to me, I think, and showing that sometimes the teacher can become the student. I Was There. Ive been playing DAddario Reserve 5 reeds too. You know, I said Ill go to college, and Ill major in performance because we had listened to the symphony, we did a lot of things, you know, and I thought, you know playing the clarinet is something you can do for a living. Cool 1. Rudy Reyes talks about his time on 'Special Forces: World's Toughest Test', Southern California storm: Region hit with heavy rain, mountain snow, gusty winds, Look outside! We were supposed to play with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) in March of 2020, which, of course, was postponed because of COVID. Thats a godsend! BR: There are some locally and internationally famous music educators associated with New Orleans. Doreen introduced her daughter, Dorian Ketchens-Dixon, when she was nine, as a drummer at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for one song in a set. She began playing in Jackson Square with her first band, the Jackson Square All-Stars. DK: I used to call Alvin Batiste Uncle Al, because I went to NOCCA (the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts) with his niece Rachel. Rain or shine, Doreen's magnetic performance draws crowds to the corner of Royal and St. Peter each. He previously worked for Courthouse News Service, where he wrote both breaking news and enterprise stories ranging from criminal justice to homelessness and politics. I saw her yesterday on Royal St. In front of 701 Royal St. Friday - Sunday, 10:30 am-2:30pm About Us! It should be noted that an unfortunate result of resorts being built to indulge Americans desire for exclusivity is the elimination of public access for Mexican citizens. I found a set of clarinets and they came with two Kaspar mouthpieces, which I fell in love with. But New Orleans jazz musician Doreen Ketchens has garnered much acclaim over the years for her incredible talent with the clarinet. 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. Here she is performing the jazz and gospel classic, "Just a Closer. When I have experienced this, the look on an amateurs face is priceless, as they seem to be having the time of their life. All Rights Reserved. Bar Rescue is an American reality TV series that premiered on Paramount Network (formerly Spike) on July 17, 2011. Im like, Man, we aint never had no pop quiz, we aint gonna have no pop quiz, are you crazy? But sure enough, when we got back up to the class, there was a pop quiz. She formed her band called the Jackson Square All Stars, and they began playing in the French Quarters Jackson Square. 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. And I was just so amazed; I was like Ahhh! We were running in the hallways, just having a ball, you know. Oh, man, I just learned about you. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 2:00 PM. Doreen Ketchens is no ordinary street musician. [7] Ketchens has been sharing traditional American Jazz in Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, South America, Russia and the United States. Now that you are established, do any other bands steal your spot? He told me, You know, you probably didnt do as badly in that audition as you think you did. BR: Thank you for sharing your life with the readers of The Clarinet! 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. How did he do that? Then, I listened to the clarinetists who played with him: Edmund Hall, Buster Bailey, Barney Bigard. Ketchens has played with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Warmer storms could cause problems, $950 round trip from LAX to Darwin, Australia, on Qantas, Cool, hot and close to home: Celebrate Memorial Day in Southern California, The 15 things to do in L.A. before the end of summer, Nature-curious? More at Bandsintown got back up to the corner of Royal and St. Peter,... 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