Baltimore native and Jazz Saxophonist Russell Kirk compose a suite in four parts titled The Path Suite, referencing New Jersey’s train system, featured on his latest album, one he dedicated to the Journal Square community.  The album, Kirk’s second is titled To Journal Square and the name of his band – 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.
 Kirk, who studied at Townson Unviersity and the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland left his home town immediately after graduating and began touring – he traveled with the USO and Indie pop rock singer/songwriter Jenny Boyle playing in a number of European countries, Africa and the Middle East and joined Gary Thomas, founder of jazz studies at Peabody, on tour in  Japan, before returning to work on his Masters at NYU.  While at NYU he met and played in essembles with John Scofield, Chris Potter, Kenny Werner and Lenny Pickett.  He was an adjunct faculty member in the Steinhardt Music School at NYU and headed a music outreach program for inner city youth in Harlem and the east Village.  It would begin his passion for bringing music to underserved communities which he continues to do through the OrchKids initiative in Baltimore.
