Sheryl Lynne Skinner American flautist, vocalist, pianist and composer Country: USA

Biography of Cheryl Lynn Skinner

Cheryl Lynn Skinner, an American flutist, vocalist, pianist, and composer, was born in Kentucky, USA. She skillfully combines jazz, rhythm and blues, Latin American, African music, and classical styles in her work. It is through this professional mixing method that Skinner has achieved her unique contemporary sound. Even while studying classical flute performance at the University of Louisville School of Music, Cheryl knew that her destiny lay in finding her individuality beyond classical norms.

She continued her education at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she learned the "nuts and bolts" of the commercial music industry. Although Skinner confidently pursued her goals, she discovered her true talent when she tapped into her ability to connect different styles and elements as a composer. This made her free in self-expression.

Performing solo and with ensembles in Kentucky, California, and Washington, Cheryl Lynn matured as a vocalist, learning from first-class musicians in these places. In Chicago in 1997, Skinner served as a producer for innovative concerts and performances at various Chicago venues. She produced "Afrocentricity" and "Christmas Potpourri," which were part of the musical series "Orpheus Classical" presented at the Harold Washington Library Auditorium. Cheryl participated in the project playing synthesizer and performing in a jazz trio. She incorporated the poetry of renowned poets such as American poet Gwendolyn Brooks and African American writer Maya Angelou into her work. Skinner also took part in the recording of a documentary program hosted by Jody Becker on Chicago radio station WBEZ.

Skinner went through the entire concert circuit at the Kentucky Center for the Arts, where she played her most original music with her instrumental ensemble, the Cheryl Skinner Consort. She made another significant impact by appearing on a live recording for the "Jazz Cabaret" series. This concert, released on CD, was recorded on January 10, 1999. Cheryl's first CD was titled "Sunday Afternoon." Soon after the release of the concert, she had the honor of being part of the "African American Composers Live" showcase at the Belmont Mansion in Philadelphia. Kentucky Educational Television (KET) used a video recording of Skinner's concert in a documentary film, and KET2 selected Cheryl's composition "Go For Baroque" from her album "Sunday Afternoon" as the first musical theme for its weekly program "Mixed Media."

After the release of "Sunday Afternoon," Skinner celebrated another release in support of her previous work. The single was titled "Morning Doves." On December 17, 2009, Skinner released her next work, the CD "Shades of Blue." In her journey of "finding her own voice," she traveled extensively and lived in various states in the USA but always found the courage to return "home" to her Kentucky roots. In her search, she began to study everything around her with keen attention. Cheryl recalled fragments of her biography: gospel in the Broadway Baptist Church, classical music in middle school, Motown in her teenage years, professional-level jazz in adulthood, bluegrass, and country music on the radio, among others. She asked herself, "Where do I fit in all of this?" and repeatedly came across a common denominator - the name of it being "blues."

Skinner refers to herself as a sound synthesist, and her music as contemporary M.U.S.E., which can be deciphered as "music unleashed through soulful experience."