-----Buffet Crampon USA Performing Artist, Russell Kirk, is regularly heard throughout the New York metropolitan area. As a solo artist, Russell has performed and recorded with a diverse array of celebrated groups, ranging from The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic. In early 2009 Kirk was signed to Greg Osby’s Inner Circle Music record label and will produce his debut album later this year.
Composition plays a very large part in Russell's total musical picture. He is a two-time recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award. This grant funding helped Russell pave the way for a self-produced album entitled Black & White, released in 2007 and is currently available on . Kirk’s compositions also awarded him a residency at the John F. Kennedy Center with the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program.
In 2005, after Graduating from the Peabody Conservatory at the Johns Hopkins University, Russell began touring various countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East performing for US troops with singer/songwriter Jenny Boyle. When not touring for the U.S.O, Russell attends New York University on a scholarship from the Eubie Blake Foundation. At NYU, Russell is an adjunct faculty member in the Steinhardt School, heads a music outreach program for inner city youths in Harlem & the East Village, interns at Saturday Night Live and plays in various ensembles with John Scofield, Chris Potter, and Lenny Pickett.
Other groups Russell has performed with include: The Soulful Symphony, The Cab Calloway Orchestra, The Eubie Blake Legacy Band, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and Rumba Club. Prominent artists he has worked with include: Kenny Werner, Sam Rivers, Gary Thomas, Dennis Chambers, Mike Formanek, Mike Clark, Kevin Mahogany, Cuba Gooding Sr., and Vusi Mahlasela. As a leader, Russell Kirk and his band have opened for Herbie Hancock at The Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. Other festivals have included the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference (IAJE), Milford Jazz Festival, The Federal Hill Jazz & Blues Festival, and many others.
Ciao,Russell ,Thank you for the add and the friendship. you are very good, I like your stupendous and wonderful music a lot, you are fantastic ..really. you are a myth for me;-) talk to you soon, and all of my best wishes to always listen to your good music. all the best.. from italy neal
Hi Russell, thanks for the add. It's a great honour for my, to share with you east space. Congratulations for your music and the way you play it!!! Greetings from Spain.
good seeing you and the fam last night, give me a call, one of these weekends we should meet up in NYC and get into a lil trouble, I've only been out there once. BTW the nose is getting less red thanks for noticing you A-hole :) love ya man
Hey Russ, I just mentioned you on my blog Nu-Jazz International be sure to check it out. Im trying to build it up so feel free to join. Hope all is well with you.Hows New York? -Devin
