About Brian Kirk
B
rian Kirk was born in Indianapolis, Indiana where he attended Indiana University, a graduate of California State University East Bay (B.A. Music) and New York University (M.A. Jazz Contemporary Music)
The son of Indianapolis Hall of Fame drummer and educator Dr. Willis Kirk, Brian grew up in San Francisco where he performed with Gladys Knight, Marlena Shaw, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Bishop Norman Williams, John Handy, and Jessica Williams.
Brian spent 10 years in New York City where he was a member of Lou Donaldson,Jack McDuff and Little Jimmy Scott bands. He also performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Locke, Andrew Hill,The Lionel Hampton Orchestra and The Count Basie Orchestra. He has also appeared with Piano Duo Landsberg and Yount, in concerts featuring the Baltimore Symphony, Philadelphia Pops Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony and the Miami Symphony to name a few.
Mr. Kirk was also first call on New York’s Broadway show scene performing in Ain’t Misbehavin’ for over 10 years (one year with the production featuring The Pointer Sisters) Five Guys Named Moe, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Miserables, Jelly’s’ Last Jam, featuring Gregory Hines, and Bring on the Noise Bring in The Funk, featuring Savion Glover. Brian has made numerous recordings including the soundtracks from “Philadelphia” starring Tom Hanks, “The Money Train”, “A Rage in Harlem” starring Forrest Whitaker,and the original sound tracks of David Lynch’s’ “Twin Peaks – Fire Walk with Me,” “Five Guys Named Moe” and The Pointer Sisters “Ain’t Misbehavin” on Sony Records.
Mr. Kirk is a Professor of Jazz, Electronic Music, Music Theory, Percussion at Seattle Central College, in Seattle Washington. He is a Whitely Scholar (University of Washington) and is an active member of the Washington Music Educators Association,a collective of Washington State Educators,whose purpose is to provide students with a strong foundation in music education and musical performance.
“My instructional mission is to help students to appreciate how music is put together, the importance of a good solid technological musical foundation and also its’ values, meanings and sensibilities.” ~ Brian Kirk