Dr. Michael White
Dr. Michael White & His Mighty Clarinet
Can you hear the bayou? The river? The French Quarter? People sitting on their stoops waiting for someone to deliver the news? Penny parties?
That’s not a clarinet in the doctor’s hands; it’s a time machine.
“I listened to Johnny Dodds’ recordings. I listened to Sidney Bechet. I listened to George Lewis. I listened to Edmond Hall. I listened to Omer Simeon, Barney Bigard, and so many others. And you listen to that and you say, ‘Wow, I would like to capture that feeling.'”
And he has. And he’s captured the spirit of a city with his clarinet.
“It seemed to be historic,” White says, “but at the same time — timeless.”
The talented clarinetist has spent a career in the classroom and on the bandstand making sure generations of audiences hear what he hears.
Connect with Dr. Michael White
Lagniappe
It turns out Dr. Michael White is a pretty photogenic guy. Check out these photos from Flickr users around the country.
The Sound After The Storm
Three years after Katrina, filmmaker Ryan Fenson-Hood documented recovery efforts with a focus on the musical heritage of New Orleans. Here’s a trailer for his film “The Sound After the Storm” which features, among others, Dr. Michael White.
