Saxophonist and composer Russell Kirk is the one of the new breed of jazz saxophonists being unleashed on the world by innovative saxophonist, composer, new talent developer and record company honcho, Greg Osby.
Russell’s stylish compositions are complex but never over the top as displayed on his latest release, To Journal Square. Reminiscent of classic 80’s fusion, his layered Path Suite composition for example, perfectly captures the mood and texture that bespeaks big city life, in four movements, and pays tribute to one of New Jersey’s busiest hubs, in an album dedicated to that flourishing community.
Russell teams with several uniquely gifted artists including the incomparable singer/songwriter Sonya Kitchell who adds her honey soaked voice to Waiting Patiently and Local Baltimore hipster/poet, impresario Eze Jackson, who melds with distinction on the funk inspired Circling and on Who’s in Control.
The Path, the pedigree ensemble that joins Kirk on this musical journey adds lyrical balance to each track and Kirk unselfishly allows them to shine. Among them are Grammy Award-winning jazz drummer/composer Terri Lyne Carrington, fusion guitarist Wayne Krantz, concert & film composer Jacob Yoffee on tenor Saxophone, the extraordinary Dontae Winslow on trumpet/vocals and Cuban export, award-winning keyboardist Aruán Ortiz.
This native son of Baltimore, Maryland – educated at Johns Hopkins University, Peabody Institute, has been developing his lush sound for years, playing with everyone from The Cab Calloway Orchestra to Parliament Funkadelic. His is a fluid sound, strong and sensual and best articulated on The Path Suite No. 2. But throughout this surprisingly bold new album, Kirk shows himself to be a master technician who is always in control – quiet when he has to be and assertive when he needs to be.
The album is available for purchase on cdbaby, innercirclemusic.net and Amazon.
For more information on Russell Kirk and Inner Circle Music: http://www.innercirclemusic.net
http://www.russellkirklive.com/
For Press Contact: Sam Mattingly/SM Communications
smattingly@sm-comms.com
