David Arthur Skinner
| David Arthur Skinner | |
|---|---|
| Born |
3 January 1980 Isle of Wight |
| Origin | England |
| Genres | Jazz, classical music |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, band leader, composer |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Labels | Pling Music |
| Associated acts | Sphinx |
| Website | Official website |
David Arthur Skinner (born 3 January 1980 on the Isle of Wight, UK) is a pianist, bandleader and composer known from performing all types of improvisation music, from early jazz and stride piano through bebop, swing and contemporary music.
Education
Skinner attended the Leeds College of Music where he started his formal musical education. He holds a Bachelor's degree in 'Classical composition' at Griegakademiet, University of Bergen (2008–12), taught by Morten Eide Pedersen. He took a Master's degree in jazz performance at the Norwegian Academy of Music. Skinner has written various studies on music theory, such as time signatures, polyrhythm and harmony.
Career
During the time he lived in West Yorkshire (1999–2004), Skinner learned his trade by appearing in clubs and concert halls in the Yorkshire area, with a wide range of musicians. He was regular pianist at several local jazz clubs, before he moved to Norway in 2005, and continued to work as a full-time musician there. Skinner works with a wide variety of jazz artists in Norway, including Majken Christiansen, Torstein Ellingsen, Bjørn Vidar Solli, Georg Reiss, Kristoffer Kompen, Lars Frank, Stig Hvalryg and Hermund Nygård. Skinner gives concerts in various styles spanning from stride piano and swing to electronica and contemporary improvised music in venues all over. He also worked with dancers, and has organised swing-bands for various dance festivals in Oslo and Bergen.
Skinner specialises in swing jazz and stride piano, and has released two solo piano CDs related to this genre.
Skinner released four albums, in addition to one live album and a Japanese release, within the quartet "Sphinx" (2000–12), and played festivals and clubs in France, Belgium and Finland, and four tours in Japan. Skinner also works in duo-format with saxophonist Anders Lønne Grønseth, and in 2011 Grønseth/Skinner duo played festivals in France and Greece, as well as nine concerts in Japan.
Skinner has written various studies on music theory, such as time signatures, polyrhythm and harmony, and continues to write music for various ensembles, as a member of "New Music Composition Society" in Norway, as well as jazz pieces, and music for big band. He also teaches music theory at the Norwegian Academy of Music.
Discography
Solo album
- 2015: Cubistic Boogie (Losen Records), solo piano
- 2013: Diagonal Jazz (Pling Music), solo piano[1]
Collaborative works
- Within Sphinx
- 1999: Sphinx
- 2001: Speaks the riddle of the undisputed truth
- 2003: Live at Cloitre des Carmes, Avignon
- 2006: Brutte Traader – Poems of Bjarne Andreassen (Japanese release)
- 2007: Bohemian Sketches
- 2011: Harmonogram
- Duo with Anders Lønne Grønseth
- 2006: Phantasmagoria
- 2009: Arc en ciel
- 2013: At Swing Audio
- With Kristoffer Kompen
References
- ↑ Wicklund, Erling (28 May 2013). "Diagonal Jazz – Review". NRK.no. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
- ↑ "Kristoffer Kompen : A Tribute To Jack Teagarden". JazzINorge.no.