Michael White (clarinetist) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael White
White at the 2007 Satchmofest
Background information
Born	(1954-11-29) November 29, 1954 (age 70) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, traditional New Orleans jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, educator
Instruments	Clarinet
Labels	Basin Street, Antilles, 504
Associated acts	Doc Paulin, Kid Sheik Colar, The New Orleans Hot Seven, The Original Liberty Jazz Band, Young Tuxedo Brass Band

Michael White was born in New Orleans on November 29, 1954. He is a talented jazz clarinet player, a bandleader who leads music groups, and a composer who writes music. He is also a jazz historian and a music teacher. A famous music critic, Scott Yanow, once said that Michael White plays the clarinet with the true feeling of the best New Orleans musicians.

Growing Up and Music

Michael White grew up in New Orleans. He went to several schools there. While at St. Joan of Arc school, he started learning to play the clarinet. He even played in his first parade there.

Michael White's Music Career

Michael White at Algiers Riverfest, New Orleans, 2008

Michael White is a musician who trained in classical music. He began his jazz career when he was a teenager. He played for Doc Paulin's Brass Band in New Orleans. He was also part of the Fairview Baptist Church Marching Band. This band was started by a banjo player named Danny Barker.

A musician named Kid Sheik Colar discovered Michael White. He heard White playing music in Jackson Square. Soon, White started working regularly with Colar. You can hear White playing on the 1989 album The Majesty of the Blues. This album was made by the famous jazz musician Wynton Marsalis. Marsalis also appears on White's 1990 album Crescent City Serenade.

Since 1979, Michael White has played in the Young Tuxedo Brass Band. This band was started by clarinet player John Casimir in the 1940s. In the 1980s, White led his own band called The New Orleans Hot Seven. They performed a special concert called "A Tribute to Jelly Roll Morton" in New York City. A newspaper, The New York Times, wrote a good review about their performance.

In 2004, one of White's songs, "Algiers Hoodoo Woman," was played on a radio show called All Songs Considered. This song is from his album Dancing in the Sky. Most of the songs on Dancing in the Sky were written by Michael White himself.

In 1981, White started The Original Liberty Jazz Band. He created this group to help keep the musical traditions of New Orleans alive. This band has performed a concert every year since the early 1990s. In 2006, White played the song "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" at a graduation ceremony. Two former U.S. presidents, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, were there. President Clinton said the music was played in a beautiful, traditional way.

Other Important Work

Michael White is also a college professor. He used to teach Spanish. Now, he teaches African-American music at Xavier University of Louisiana. This is a special university that has historically served Black students. At the university, he holds an important position that focuses on New Orleans music and culture.

He has also been a guest director for several concerts at Jazz at Lincoln Center. These concerts often focus on traditional New Orleans jazz. He frequently works with Wynton Marsalis on these projects. White has also helped as a commissioner for the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.

Personal Life

In 2005, Michael White was living in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. His home was in the Gentilly area, near the London Avenue Canal. This area experienced a lot of flooding.

For 30 years, White had collected many items related to jazz history. He owned the original sheet music for "Dead Man Blues" by Jelly Roll Morton. He also had a special clarinet mouthpiece that belonged to Sidney Bechet. Sadly, he lost about 5,000 records and LPs (long-playing albums) during the flooding from the hurricane.

Music Albums

Awards and Honors

Michael White has received several important awards for his music:

• 1994: Royal Norwegian Musical Medal (from Norway)
• 1995: Chevalier of Arts and Letters (from France)
• 2008: National Heritage Fellowship (This is the highest honor the United States government gives for folk and traditional arts.)