River Of January
Neuma, 2024
8/10
A body of work that actually began in 1969 in Rio, Rick Baitz presents 4 diverse pieces that span modern classical and creative indie-rock.
The title track starts the listen with strong attention to mood, where Erin Lesser’s dreamy flute and Jennifer Choi’s gripping violin complement the playful percussion from David Cossin and Baitz’s well timed synth and programming.
In the middle, “Music For A Sacred Place” allows Yoon Lee’s strategic keys and Audrey Chen’s graceful cello amid Baitz’s electronic prowess, while “Dark Fire” is an upbeat 13+ minutes of flowing string interaction between Choi’s violin and Yves Dhar’s cello acrobatics.
The final selection, “Two Poems For Flute And Alto Flute Solo”, allows Lesser’s meticulous flute playing to populate the tonally adventurous and distinct exit.
Baitz has an impressive resume that includes concert music, film, TV theater and dance, and this ‘indie-classical’ effort is yet another exciting and unpredictable moment from his eclectic vision.
Travels well with: Galan Trio- Kinesis Vol. 2; MC Maguire- Dystophilia