Emily Skinner, also known as Adjoa Skinner The Friday Night Jazz program at The Roycroft Inn in East Aurora has brought some of the area’s best jazz musicians to the stage each week.

Last week, a Lancaster High School graduate performed at the venue, coming home to celebrate her career successes and what she hopes the future has in store for her.

Emily Skinner, who graduated from Lancaster High School in 2000, had a lifelong love of music and, through the encouragement of her friends and family, moved to Tennessee to begin a recording career.

From there, three short years took her to extended stays in both Kenya and Ghana, African countries that allowed her to put her current experience as a struggling artist in perspective. She is now living in Los Angeles.

“I still struggle with trying to make ends meet,” she said. “It’s one step of a time. If I didn’t have that time in Africa where you’re hungry, I probably wouldn’t be able to do it. But it’s a different kind of hungry while you’re there.”

Her time in Ghana was one of great joy and great suffering, sometimes both at the same time, she said. While in the country, she became involved in starting a music school that has remained operational for the past seven years, with one of its original students returning to assume control as its director.

But while Skinner was there, she was also struck with a health crisis. She developed malaria and found herself too sick to eat. She said her 5-foot-11 frame was reduced to 129 pounds, an unhealthy weight for her.

The past 10 years as a whole have provided her with a greater appreciation for being able to survive, she said. But an appreciation for the little things, such as health and her faith, isn’t the only thing Skinner brought back from Africa. She also picked a new first name for herself, choosing to perform as Adjoa Skinner.

She said the choice was made to remind herself of the life she had in Africa, while also helping her overcome any stereotypes she might encounter while performing. She is, after all a Caucasian playing African drums.

Musically, Skinner’s life has also taken her to Singapore, where she was part of a concert this past Christmas. She said she traveled with a group of dancers and was the only vocalist in the group. Together with the accompaniment of a Singapore band, she performed Christmas carols.

But for a girl who has seen the world and been through a lifetime of experiences before turning 30, returning home is still one of her favorite things to do.

“It’s nice to be able to come home, to see my family and friends,” she said. “If I didn’t have the support of my friends and family, it would be easy for me to not have these things. I feel like those opportunities have been given to me, but it’s all possible because of their support. They’ve helped me to have those experiences.”

While at home, Skinner has been able to enjoy her past and celebrate her future. Aside from visiting her family, she recently attended her high school class’ 10-year reunion. And the concert Friday reunited her with local recording artist Joe Rozler and the Joe Rozler Trio. She said being back with Rozler, with whom she recorded almost 10 years ago, was a special treat.

For more information on Skinner’s career or her music, her website is available at www. adjoaskinner. com.

e-mail: tchipp@beenews.com