A New Orleans native, White has primarily led an urban life as a jazz musician and professor at Xavier University where he teaches African-American Music and holds an endowed chair in the humanities
department.
White began playing clarinet in classical settings and moved on to perform with brass bands, including the Fairview Baptist Church Band that was established by the noted banjoist/guitarist/author Danny Barker. His earliest contact with traditional jazz bands was hearing veteran musicians such as clarinetist Willie Humphrey and Louis Cottrell at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
The clarinetist formed his own group, the Original Liberty Jazz Band in 1981 and continues to lead that band as well as the Liberty Brass Band and the Micheal White Quartet.
White has gained notoriety as an informed purveyor of New Orleans traditional jazz as a gifted musician, composer, educator and historian. Long respected in his hometown and in classic jazz enclaves around the world, he enjoyed further recognition through his association with renowned trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. The clarinetist is heard on Marsalis' 1989 The Majesty of the Blues (Columbia) and he also arranged the music for and performed in "A Tribute to Jelly Roll Morton" at Lincoln Center where Marsalis holds the position of artistic
director.
He currently preforms around the city of New Orleans.
department.
White began playing clarinet in classical settings and moved on to perform with brass bands, including the Fairview Baptist Church Band that was established by the noted banjoist/guitarist/author Danny Barker. His earliest contact with traditional jazz bands was hearing veteran musicians such as clarinetist Willie Humphrey and Louis Cottrell at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
The clarinetist formed his own group, the Original Liberty Jazz Band in 1981 and continues to lead that band as well as the Liberty Brass Band and the Micheal White Quartet.
White has gained notoriety as an informed purveyor of New Orleans traditional jazz as a gifted musician, composer, educator and historian. Long respected in his hometown and in classic jazz enclaves around the world, he enjoyed further recognition through his association with renowned trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. The clarinetist is heard on Marsalis' 1989 The Majesty of the Blues (Columbia) and he also arranged the music for and performed in "A Tribute to Jelly Roll Morton" at Lincoln Center where Marsalis holds the position of artistic
director.
He currently preforms around the city of New Orleans.
