Doreen Ketchins

And the band director, Mr. Berthelot, he started out introducing different instruments and saying different things. And then he asked, he went row by row asking, what do you want to play? Well, I already knew what I wanted to play because the flute was so sleek and so silver and so beautiful. But the girl in front of me, she said, the flute. And the girl next to her, she said, the flute.

And it went on and on about seven to nine times. And by the time he was getting close to me, I was like, well, I don't want to play that now. It's a pretty common instrument, you know. And the clarinet was right next to it. So I said, I'll play that. And that's what I played with clarinet.

And it went on and on about seven to nine times. And by the time he was getting close to me, I was like, well, I don't want to play that now. It's a pretty common instrument, you know. And the clarinet was right next to it. So I said, I'll play that. And that's what I played with clarinet.

And it went on and on about seven to nine times. And by the time he was getting close to me, I was like, well, I don't want to play that now. It's a pretty common instrument, you know. And the clarinet was right next to it. So I said, I'll play that. And that's what I played with clarinet.

Of course, they had about five or six other girls that said clarinet because they were boy-girl instruments and girl instruments, you know. Right, right. But I was the first one, so I was all right with that.

Of course, they had about five or six other girls that said clarinet because they were boy-girl instruments and girl instruments, you know. Right, right. But I was the first one, so I was all right with that.

Of course, they had about five or six other girls that said clarinet because they were boy-girl instruments and girl instruments, you know. Right, right. But I was the first one, so I was all right with that.

We were in college, and he knocked on my practice room one day. I went to this performing arts school called NOCA, you know, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. And I used to practice in this closet, the janitor's closet. And in the janitor's closet, you could hear the clarinet all through the school. But since it was a performing arts school, nobody complained, you know.

We were in college, and he knocked on my practice room one day. I went to this performing arts school called NOCA, you know, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. And I used to practice in this closet, the janitor's closet. And in the janitor's closet, you could hear the clarinet all through the school. But since it was a performing arts school, nobody complained, you know.

We were in college, and he knocked on my practice room one day. I went to this performing arts school called NOCA, you know, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. And I used to practice in this closet, the janitor's closet. And in the janitor's closet, you could hear the clarinet all through the school. But since it was a performing arts school, nobody complained, you know.

And one day, Ellis Marcellus knocked on my door. And he said, hey, you sound pretty good on that. You know, you ever thought about playing some jazz? And I'm like... No. And he said, well, why don't you listen to some jazz clarinetists and see what you think? You know, I'm like, okay. And Ellis Marcellus always did intimidate me, you know.

And one day, Ellis Marcellus knocked on my door. And he said, hey, you sound pretty good on that. You know, you ever thought about playing some jazz? And I'm like... No. And he said, well, why don't you listen to some jazz clarinetists and see what you think? You know, I'm like, okay. And Ellis Marcellus always did intimidate me, you know.

And one day, Ellis Marcellus knocked on my door. And he said, hey, you sound pretty good on that. You know, you ever thought about playing some jazz? And I'm like... No. And he said, well, why don't you listen to some jazz clarinetists and see what you think? You know, I'm like, okay. And Ellis Marcellus always did intimidate me, you know.

Yeah, so, you know, I was like, he said, well, why don't you take a listen and, you know, let me know what you think. And I'm like, okay. And see, I wasn't enthused because that's homework, you know. In addition to everything else I had to do, now I got to go to the library because, you know, you can't just take out your phone and go and look for, you know, I got to go to the library.

Yeah, so, you know, I was like, he said, well, why don't you take a listen and, you know, let me know what you think. And I'm like, okay. And see, I wasn't enthused because that's homework, you know. In addition to everything else I had to do, now I got to go to the library because, you know, you can't just take out your phone and go and look for, you know, I got to go to the library.

Yeah, so, you know, I was like, he said, well, why don't you take a listen and, you know, let me know what you think. And I'm like, okay. And see, I wasn't enthused because that's homework, you know. In addition to everything else I had to do, now I got to go to the library because, you know, you can't just take out your phone and go and look for, you know, I got to go to the library.

I got to check this out and all this other stuff. But I did because I knew he was coming back, you know, and I listened and I heard a lot of clarinetists, you know, George Lewis, you know, Pete Fountain and, you know, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw. And I respected what they did, but we were different.

I got to check this out and all this other stuff. But I did because I knew he was coming back, you know, and I listened and I heard a lot of clarinetists, you know, George Lewis, you know, Pete Fountain and, you know, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw. And I respected what they did, but we were different.

I got to check this out and all this other stuff. But I did because I knew he was coming back, you know, and I listened and I heard a lot of clarinetists, you know, George Lewis, you know, Pete Fountain and, you know, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw. And I respected what they did, but we were different.

You know, I was concentrating more on tone and technique and they were more concentrated on jamming, you know, bending the notes and not really concerned about tone and stuff like that, you know, so it wasn't my thing. And so, you know, a few days later, he knocked on the door again, and he said, well, what did you think? And I was like, you know, it's really not my thing.