Ken Skinner is probably best known as leader, pianist and chief composer of the successful jazzmongers! His unorthodox approach to piano is rooted in childhood memories of those early lessons and all of the jazz music which he grew up listening to as a child in Montreal, when his father was still playing gigs. Geoff Chapman of the Toronto Star stated that Ken "seems to have an agenda to re-create the Blue Note sounds of the 60s."
Ken Skinner and the jazzmongers! recordings have showcased jazz players such as Bob Mover, Kirk MacDonald, Kevin Turcotte, Jake Wilkinson and Duncan Hopkins. Also, 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 entitled "Kin Of Kensington" which celebrates the works of musicians living in or have lived in Toronto's Kensington Market, also One Lucky Piano, produced by JAZZ FM 91 in Toronto featuring a solo performance of Ken's "Littlebird Lied". One Lucky Piano features 16 of Canada's premiere pianists all recorded on the piano formerly housed in the famed "Montreal Bistro" in Toronto.
Skinner's music has been included in 3 feature length films, 2 videos, with numerous appearances on television and radio. Of those films is "Pitch" produced by Kenny Hotz and Spencer Rice who now enjoy fame as "Kenny and Spenny". During a period of activity in 1996, he worked rather closely with prima ballerina Kimberley Glasco, of the National Ballet of Canada, on two separate projects, one of those being a Bravo! video for "Jombo Memsahb" found on the jazzmongers! first release Stirling Silver. A second video, also for the Bravo! network, "Maroon" is the title track of the jazzmongers! second release, earning Ken the title of Bravo! artist of the week.
The jazzmongers! can be seen in the Warner Brothers film It Takes Two (1995), with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Steve Guttenberg and Kirstie Alley.
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