Michael Skinkus New Orleans LA Obituary – Afro-Cuban Percussionist, Educator and Cultural Ambassador Dies January 30, 2025
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — The New Orleans music community is mourning the loss of Michael Skinkus, a highly respected Afro-Cuban percussionist, recording artist, bandleader and educator, whose lifelong dedication to rhythm, cultural exchange and musical excellence shaped the sound of the city for more than three decades. Michael Skinkus passed away on January 30, 2025, leaving behind a lasting artistic legacy rooted in Afro-Caribbean traditions and New Orleans’ globally admired musical identity.
Born in 1969 outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Michael Skinkus developed an early fascination with rhythm and syncopation. His first exposure to music came through private guitar instruction, which he pursued until the sixth grade. During that formative period, Skinkus discovered the world of percussion—an artistic turning point that would define his life’s work. Drawn initially to Caribbean music and later to the powerful musical traditions of New Orleans, he began a lifelong pursuit of Afro-Cuban and Afro-diasporic rhythmic languages.
In 1987, Michael Skinkus relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana, a decision that would place him at the center of one of the world’s most influential music communities. From the moment he arrived, Skinkus became deeply embedded in the city’s Latin, jazz, funk, and popular music scenes, earning widespread respect for his technical command, stylistic authenticity and collaborative spirit.
Over the course of his professional career, Michael Skinkus contributed to numerous recordings and live performances alongside some of the most celebrated artists associated with New Orleans and American roots music. His credits include performances with Irma Thomas, Charles Neville, Dr. John, The Radiators, Johnny Adams, and many other distinguished musicians whose work helped define modern New Orleans sound and culture. Through these collaborations, Skinkus served not only as a percussionist, but also as a cultural bridge between Afro-Cuban traditions and the evolving musical identity of Louisiana.
Beyond the stage and studio, Michael Skinkus was widely recognized for his scholarly and educational contributions. In 2003, he earned a Master’s Degree in Ethnomusicology from Tulane University, formally uniting academic research with professional performance. His academic training allowed him to approach Afro-Cuban percussion not only as an art form, but also as a living cultural practice connected to history, migration, spirituality and community identity.
Skinkus continued to serve as an educator, mentoring students and emerging musicians while promoting a deeper understanding of Afro-Caribbean musical heritage. His teaching reflected both rigorous scholarship and real-world performance experience, offering students rare access to a practitioner who had actively shaped the city’s contemporary music landscape.
Michael Skinkus was also the leader of the band Moyuba, a group dedicated to Afro-Cuban and Afro-diasporic musical traditions. Under his leadership, Moyuba became a respected presence in the regional and national performance circuit. The group’s most notable recent appearance occurred at the 2018 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, one of the world’s premier celebrations of music and culture. The performance further affirmed Skinkus’ role as a leading interpreter and advocate of Afro-Cuban percussion in the American South.
For more than thirty years, Michael Skinkus remained an active professional musician in the diverse musical ecosystems of New Orleans. His work spanned traditional Latin ensembles, jazz groups, popular touring acts and original projects. He consistently emphasized the cultural continuity between the Caribbean and Louisiana, often reflecting on New Orleans as what he described as the “Northernmost Port of the Caribbean.” For Skinkus, this phrase was not symbolic rhetoric but a living truth, expressed through rhythm, history and shared musical language.
Colleagues and fellow musicians remember Michael Skinkus as a generous collaborator, a deeply knowledgeable cultural practitioner and a performer whose rhythmic sensibility elevated every ensemble he joined. His artistry was distinguished by respect for tradition, disciplined technique and a commitment to musical authenticity that resonated both locally and internationally.
At the time of publication, additional personal and family details have not been publicly released. Funeral and memorial arrangements will be announced when confirmed by family representatives.
The death of Michael Skinkus of New Orleans, Louisiana, marks a significant loss for the city’s Latin and Afro-Cuban percussion community and for the broader world of ethnomusicology and performance. His influence lives on through the artists he collaborated with, the students he taught, and the many audiences who experienced his work across festival stages, recording sessions and classrooms.
As New Orleans reflects on the passing of one of its most dedicated cultural ambassadors, Michael Skinkus is remembered for preserving tradition, expanding musical dialogue and helping define the rhythmic heartbeat of a city whose global influence continues to echo far beyond its borders.
