Biography
Adjoa Skinner is a jazz/soul singer-songwriter born and raised in upstate New York to a family of musicians. In 2000 Skinner chose to experience the culture and music of East, South and West Africa, where she lived for two years and received the name Adjoa. In 2006 Skinner moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career full-time as a vocalist, songwriter and musician, playing piano, guitar, drums and flute.
After living in LA for only a month she began her own weekly show. A year after that she was asked by one of LA's best bookers JT Presents (Beth Hart, Carney, Sara Bareilles, Flogging Mollys) to have her own weekly slot at Molly Malones on Monday nights. Word of her residency came to producer Charlie Peacock who invited Adjoa to Nashville for an artist's retreat and aided her in receiving a grant to continue on with her music. Soon after she started a weekly showcase @ Genghis Cohen sponsored by ASCAP and Adrenaline Music every Tuesday night. She was then asked by Suite 101 in the Inland Empire to be their first resident artist at Sakura Ichi Grill and played there many weekends.
Adjoa Skinner has shared a stage with The Jonas Brothers, Amy Grant, Charlie Peacock, Daniel Bedingfield, Beth Hart, The Daylights, Interscope artists' Carney, Guitar Virtuoso Adrian Legg (voted Guitarist of the Decade by Guitarist Magazine), Leon Mobley (percussionist for Ben Harper), Amy Kuney, Jackie Tohn, Dave Wilson (musician for Engelbert Humperdink), Charles Jones (musician for Raphael Sadiq, Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson), Multi-platinum Harpist Lisa Lynn as well as many others.
After the process of crafting her live performances Adjoa decided to focus her efforts on recording and writing.
She began working with Movie Music Producer Kevin Teasley (Christina Milian, Katherine McPhee) and has recorded several tracks which will be in movies such as "Can't Go It Alone" placed in the MGM film, "The Trouble With Romance".
Continually recording she has been able to work with producers Charlie Peacock, Kevin Dippold (Smashing Pumpkins), Brad Murphree (Carrie Underwood, Jewel, Martina McBride, George Clinton...), Satoshi Mark Noguchi (Hans Zimmer).
She produced her five song EP "Nothin More to Say" with Satoshi Mark Noguchi and self-released it in April of 2009.
Adjoa has scored for numerous indie films and trailers, and just recently had an acoustic version of her original song "My Friend" placed on the CW series "Everwood" Season 3 DVD set.
She signed a non-exclusive music licensing deal with DL Music in 2007 and came on board with Coleman Productions Agency for touring in the college circuit starting in 2009.
Adjoa Skinner is endorsed by Sennheiser Microphones and Alvarez Guitars.
More information is available by visiting www.adjoaskinner.com
REVIEWS:
"That is some voice she has there. Excellent pitch!" - Eddie, Big Daddy Recording
"Beautiful music, Beautiful soul." - Erwin and Kim McManus, MOSAIC
"Adjoa is a fresh, young, incredible talent whose star is on the RISE." - Ashley Maher, Musician
"Awesome....beautiful vocals.." - Jeffrey, Machi Entertainment
Instrumentation
Adjoa Skinner Band Configurations:
Solo acoustic:
Adjoa - guitar and/or piano, djembe & voice
Duo acoustic:
Adjoa - guitar and/or piano, djembe & voice
Justin DiCenzo- Upright and electric bass, guitar, bkg vox
Band trio:
Adjoa - guitar and/or piano, djembe & voice
Justin DiCenzo - Upright and electric bass, guitar, bkg vox
Young Professor - drumset
<or>
Lance Beckford - drumset &/or cajon, hand percussion, bkg vox
4-5 piece:
Adjoa - guitar and/or piano, djembe & voice
Justin - Upright and electric bass, guitar, bkg vox
Young Professor - drumset
& / or
Lance Beckford - drumset &/or cajon, hand percussion, bkg vox
Chris Franz - electric guitar
Dave Wilson - piano, organ, sax, bkg vox
Additions:
Cello & bkg vox - Julia Wood
Back-up singers: Ashley Hunt & Lauren Richards
Discography
"Nothin More To Say" EP - released May 2009
www.mollymalonesmusic.com
I'd Fly To the Moon - Single released December 2007
Adjoa Skinner Live - Released March 2008
Links
| http://www.adjoaskinner.com |