Another Kind of Bird Richard Baratta

• 1 Donna Lee 07:08
• 2 Anthropology 05:13
• 3 Little Suede Shoes 06:08
• 4 Ah-Leu-Cha 06:40
• 5 Embraceable You 04:46
• 6 Now's the Time 05:29
• 7 Moose the Mooche 06:18
• 8 Yardbird Suite 04:12
• 9 Segment 06:02
• 10 Au Privave 04:55
• Total Runtime 56:51

Info for Another Kind of Bird

Another Kind of Bird is the compelling new album from drummer and bandleader Richard Baratta. His fifth recording for the label finds Baratta revisiting music associated with Charlie Parker, reimagining the repertoire through inventive new arrangements and a forward-looking ensemble approach. Baratta’s standout band features GRAMMY-nominated pianist and arranger Bill O’Connell, saxophonist Vincent Herring, guitarist Paul Bollenback, bassist Michael Goetz, and percussionist Paul Rossman and special guest saxophonists Eric Alexander, Abraham Burton, and Craig Handy.

A musician long before he became a film producer, Richard Baratta has built a career defined by range and reinvention. He began playing professionally more than four decades ago, performing with big bands and ensembles around New York before transitioning into film, where he became a highly respected producer with credits including The Wolf of Wall Street, The Irishman, Joker, and several Spider-Man films. In 2020, Baratta returned decisively to the bandstand with Music in Film: The Reel Deal, reimagining iconic movie themes in a dynamic jazz setting. The album proved both a commercial and artistic success, amassing millions of streams and reestablishing him as a serious presence in the contemporary jazz landscape. Its follow-up, Music in Film: The Sequel, continued that momentum, and in the years since, Baratta has recorded two additional albums for Savant Records, expanding his repertoire beyond film-inspired projects and further defining his voice as a bandleader committed to exploration and growth.

It will then come as no surprise that Richard Baratta has never been interested in standing still. “I don’t want to continue to make those records,” he has said of conventional straight-ahead projects. “I want to keep challenging myself. Keep moving. I’m looking for the next thing.” That restless creative drive defines his latest release, Another Kind of Bird, a bold reimagining of music associated with Charlie Parker that serves less as tribute than as reinvention.

Rather than treating the material as sacred text, Baratta approached it as living language. Working with longtime collaborator, arranger, and pianist Bill O’Connell, he set out to explore the repertoire from a fresh vantage point. “Bill’s such a great arranger and player; the ideas just flow from his brain,” Baratta says. Their fourth recording together reflects a deep musical trust. After shaping and refining O’Connell’s initial drafts, the pair arrived at what Baratta calls “a reimagination of Charlie Parker” — one that balances reverence with risk.

The result is music that moves fluidly across post-bop drive, Latin-inflected grooves, and flashes of rock-tinged energy, yet remains cohesive and focused. For Baratta, innovation must coexist with accessibility. He speaks candidly about attracting listeners without “compromising the music to the extent that it’s not that music anymore.” Experience, he believes, brings clarity. Each project builds upon the last, guided by a deeper musical awareness and a willingness to stretch beyond expectation.

One of Baratta’s most ambitious decisions on Another Kind of Bird was expanding his customary sextet to feature a larger saxophone front line on selected tracks. The added horns bring power and dimension, amplifying both the rhythmic thrust and the harmonic color of the arrangements. “In the history of jazz, nobody has made more of an impact than Parker,” Baratta explains, “so I thought I’d pay homage by adding more horns.” The result is an ensemble sound that feels both urgent and expansive.

Equally important is the choice of musicians Baratta has assembled. He selected Vincent Herring, Eric Alexander, Craig Handy, and Abraham Burton not only for their formidable reputations but for the musical rapport developed over years of collaboration. “They’re some of the greatest jazz musicians and sax players on the planet,” he says, adding with a grin that they are “freakin’ monsters on their horns.” Each is a respected bandleader in his own right, and together they form a collective capable of dynamic interplay and commanding presence.

Baratta’s artistic independence has long been a defining trait. He often describes the music business as “brutal,” and credits the stability of his career in film production with allowing him to pursue projects on his own terms. That freedom is audible here. Another Kind of Bird is not a museum piece, but a statement of intent from a bandleader committed to growth, collaboration, and fearless reinterpretation.

Richard Baratta, drums, percussion
Vincent Herring, alto saxophone
Bill O'Connell, piano, elec. piano, arranger
Paul Bollenback, guitar
Michael Coetz, bass
Paul Russman, congas, percussion
Guests:
Craig Handy, tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 2), flute (track 3), soprano saxophone (track 4)
Abraham Burton, alto saxophone (tracks 1, 4)
Eric Alexander, tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 4)

Richard Baratta
was born into a musically oriented family in Poughkeepsie, NY in 1950. He began his musical journey at the age 12, playing saxophone, flute and drums, and eventually, exclusively drums. He played mostly jazz all through his teens. After earning a BA in History from Wagner College in 1973, and after studying with Jack DeJohnette, Bob Moses and Steve Haas he moved to NYC in 1975 to pursue his musical career. From 1975 to 1984 Baratta played gigs and recorded in and out of NYC. Some of his bandmates and associations were with John Stubblefield, Joe Ford, Frank Strozier, Hal Galper, Mike Richmond, Saheb Sarbib, Dennis Irwin, Vernon Reid, Billy Bang, Jack Wilkens, Ryo Kawasaki, Jessica Hagedorn and the Gangster Choir, Guilherme Franco, Pe De Boi, Cyro Baptista, and a very memorable one day hit with Hank Mobley and then Johnny Hartman.

In 1984, Baratta decided to dramatically alter paths, and pursued a career in movie production. "Money was tight, the gigs were hard to come by, and I was getting married and wanted to raise a family. It was just time for a very difficult decision that had to be made. I looked back many times and terribly missed the joy in playing and the camaraderie with the musicians. It was a total about face, but I have no regrets, except missing the live performance."

Since working on his his first film, Desperately Seeking Susan in 1984, Baratta has worked on over 50 movies, first as a Location Manager, then Unit Production Manager, and for the past 15 years as a Co-Producer and Executive Producer. A small sampling of his filmography includes, Academy Award nominated Joker Joaquin Phoenix winning the Best Actor Award, Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award nominated The Irishman, Dr.Strange, The Wolf of Wall Street, five Spiderman movies,Too Big To Fail, Smurfs, Taking Pelham 123, Across the Universe, Donnie Brasco, Working Girl, and Big. For a full listing of Baratta's film credits, visit imdb.com/name/nm0053102/ ​

The past 35 years of movie making never prevented Baratta from regularly listening to and attending music almost all the clubs in NYC and festivals elsewhere. As best he could, he tried to maintain relationships with his past bandmates and stay up on the jazz scene. However, with the exception of the occasional one nite gig every few years, Baratta essentially remained on the sidelines when it came to performing. Then a very fortuitous event occurred.

An opportunity presented itself in the fall of 2016 that changed everything. He decided to return to his roots and main love and began performing music again, while continuing to produce films. From December 2016 to the present he has played with Eric Alexander, Vincent Herring, Walter Blanding, Marcus Printup, Bruce Harris, Gerald Cannon, Bill O’Connell, Emmett Cohen, Jeb Patton, Steve Ash, Chris Pattishal, Mike LeDonne, Ray Gallon, Dave Kikoski Danny Nimmer, Jerry Weldon, Rogerio Bocatto, Paul Bollenback, Dave Stryker, Mike Goetz, Essiet Essiet, Yoshi Waki, and many others. From Baratta’s lips, “I’m telling you, I’m in heaven. I just want to keep it going. A light bulb has gone off in my head and the music seems clearer, fresher and more illuminating than ever.”

Baratta currently resides in Tenafly, N.J. Hopefully you’ll be seeing and hearing from him more often in the near future.

This album contains no booklet.