Ken Skinner

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Please improve this article if you can. (November 2006)

Kenneth Skinner Jr. is a jazz pianist, head of the group Ken Skinner and the Jazzmongers.

Ken Skinner Jr. was born in Montreal, Quebec June 28, 1962. His father Kenny Sr. (1932-2006) was also a very talented jazz pianist who is listed in a publication called "The Who's Who of Jazz in Montreal written by John Gilmore. Ken Jr. studied briefly with Daisy Sweeney who is Oscar Peterson's sister. Right from the very start Ken showed great promise and may have become a classical pianist had his parents not separated in 1971. Since the age of 15 Ken has been a composer from baroque guitar to jazz for ensemble. His pop writing has found its way into the hands of Ian McIntyre who has recorded several of Ken's compositions with his band "The Intentions".

His compositions won numerous awards before he was 17 at a variety of music festivals. His jazz recordings have showcased some of Toronto's and the world's finest jazz players who have included Bob Mover, Kirk MacDonald, Kevin Turcotte, Jake Wilkinson and Duncan Hopkins. As well Ken has sat in at jam sessions with the likes of Wynton Marsalis and others. His jazz material can be found on 2 CDs on the Village Jazz label, with inclusion on a compilation CD entiltled "Kin Of Kensington" which celebrates the works of musicians living in or who have lived in Toronto's Kesington Market.

Music included in 3 feature length films, 2 videos of his jazz material with numerous appearances on television and radio. During a period of activity in 1996 he worked rather closely with prima ballerina Kimberly Glasco of the National Ballet of Canada on two separate projects. Toronto is a great place for activity and even his artwork has been exhibited with additional credits as a published cartoonist and journalist. By the way... you can see Ken for about 35 seconds in an Olsen twins movie called "It Takes Two" with Kirstie Alley starring.

Currently Ken is heard every Saturday night at 7pm on jazz fm 91.1 (jazz.fm if you want their internet feed) as the "vinyl hunter" where his expertise as a jazz record collector is a featured spot on Jaymz Bee's "Jazz in the City" show. Ken is also a contributing writer with "Riverside Quarterly" a magazine that features Toronto's east end Beaches music scene.