Doreen Ketchens honed her traditional jazz clarinet chops in the streets of New Orleans, and can still be seen as a street performer on Royal Street in the historic French Quarter with her band, Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans.

Born in 1966 in the historic Treme neighborhood, Ketchens joined the school band in fifth grade to get out of a pop quiz. She was accepted to the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, then attended several universities, including The Hartt School at the University of Hartford in Connecticut. Her first gig was at the 1987 Republican National Convention, the first year she began playing in the streets of New Orleans with her first band, The Jackson Street All-Stars.

Ketchen, nicknamed “Lady Louis” for her playing style, has performed with Ellis Marsalis, Jon Faddis, Al Hirt, The Black Crowes, and Trombone Shorty, among others, and has opened for Macy Grey and Dr. John. Her band has toured around the country and the globe, and through her performance and educational efforts, is considered an enduring ambassador of New Orleans culture. She has been featured in numerous documentaries about New Orleans, and has won several awards for her performance ability.