Saxophonist Russell Kirk delivers an ambitious second album with the release of To Journal Square, and in it he demonstrates the type of musical versatility that master musician Greg Osby looks for when adding artists to his label Inner Circle Music, of which he is now a part.

Russell’s stylish compositions are complex but never over the top. 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.

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 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 is 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.

Russell Kirk & The Path is a collaboration of like minded musicians, with similar paths, that offer a distinctly modern style while retaining the romantic sentiments of the American songbook.  presentations range in size  however the performance, as in the original compositions, are consistently sincere and provocative – a perfect confluence of old and new. The path has been performing since 2010 and has been featured at several major jazz festivals/venues.

Russell Kirk's first album as leader, recorded at NPR studios.

Russell Kirk - Alto Saxophone
Felicia Carter - Vocals (tracks 1 and 2)
Todd Marcus - Bass Clarinet
Harry Appelman - Piano
Kris Funn - Bass
Howard Curtis - Drums (tracks 1-6)
Kush Abady - (tracks 7 and 8)

The girl with the candy corn-colored hair beads speaks in a halting whisper around adults and is hardly the best musician in the ensemble, but she is the first to grab Russell Kirk’s attention when he walks in the room.

And so Morgan Brown gets what many of the children urgently want at this weekly session of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s OrchKids program, held at Lockerman-Bundy Elementary School in one of the city’s toughest neighborhoods – one-on-one time with “Mr. Russell.”

He and Morgan leave behind the 20 or so students rehearsing “Chariot Race” and find an unoccupied classroom. Kirk may be one of the city’s hottest up-and-coming jazz saxophonists, but at this moment his sole task is to get 7-year-old Morgan to hit the C-sharp on her oboe and, if she misses it, to keep going.