Film & Concert Music

Rick's film credits include the award-winning PBS documentary “Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy”, and HBO’s “The Vagina Monologues” and “Life Afterlife”.

All music by Rick Baitz; all rights reserved.

Media Credits

We Speak NYC: “Lian’s Pre-K (2018) — Soundtrack composer to TV episode produced by New York City Mayor’s Office Of Immigrant Affairs.

Freedom Summer (2017) — Soundtrack composer to immersive video installation for the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, narrated by Oprah Winfrey.  Produced by Monadnock Media.

Emmett Till (2017) — Soundtrack composer to immersive video installation for the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, narrated by Oprah Winfrey. Produced by Monadnock Media.

Why We March (2017) — Soundtrack composer to interactive video installation for the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, produced by Monadnock Media.

24 Hours That Changed History (2016) — Soundtrack composer to immersive video installation for the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Produced by Monadnock Media.

My Stroke Is Your Stroke (2013) — Soundtrack composer to PSA produced by Hip Hop Public Health and Columbia University Medical Center.

Restraint & Seclusion: Hear Our Stories (2013) — Soundtrack composer to documentary short directed by Dan Habib.

Who Cares About Kelsey? (2012) — Soundtrack composer to feature documentary directed by Dan Habib.  Premiered at Woodstock Film Festival, 2012.

Power & Control: Domestic Violence in America (2010) — Soundtrack composer to feature documentary directed by Peter Cohn.  Expected release early 2010.

Jesus, Maria  (2009) — Soundtrack composer.  The third in a trilogy of short films by the award-winning director Caroline Cava (see Number One and Polio Water).

Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy (2008) — Composer of soundtrack to PBS documentary directed by Academy Award-nominated Alice Elliott. Winner of 8 awards, including short-list for an Academy Award nomination. 

Amexicano (2007) — Songwriter, feature film.  Tribeca film Festival.

The Better and Better Series (2006) — Composer, pianist and audio producer for triple-DVD set of filmed meditations, featuring healer Elizabeth Hepburn.

The Education of Shelby Knox (2005) — PBS. Composer of soundtrack for feature documentary.  Winner of awards at Sundance & South By Southwest Film Festivals.  PBS broadcast on “POV” series,   Southern and ‘50’s rock,  rockabilly, Country & Western, and hiphop-influenced soundtrack. incite-pictures.com/shelbyknox.

Fitness Fighters (2005) — Composer and songwriter to animated children’s pilot,  produced by National Institues of Health.  Jazz, funk, rock and reggae – influenced score.

Until The Violence Stops aka World VDay (2004) — Lifetime Television. Songwriter for  documentary feature directed by Eve Ensler, starring Jane Fonda, Rosie Perez, Isabella Rosselini.  Sundance Film Festival.  Contemporary Afro-pop. with West African “Highlife” and South African “township” influences. untiltheviolencestops.org

A Family Undertaking (2004) —  PBS.  Music producer for documentary feature broadcast on Independent Lens.  Directed by Beth Westrate.

King of Kings (2004; Criterion Films) — Soundtrack Producer.  Re-release of 1929 Cecil B. DeMille classic. criterion.com/films/949

Guns & Mothers (2003) — PBS. Composer of soundtrack for feature documentary broadcast on Independent Lens.  Directed by Thom Powers. pbs.org/independentlens/gunsandmothers.

Project ALS (2003) — Composer for PSA, broadcast on Diamondvision screens in sports stadiums across the USA.

The Vagina Monologues (2002; HBO) — Composer of soundtrack to feature documentary.  Starring Eve Ensler, Based on Ensler’s Obie-Award winning stage show.  Rock/chamber score.

Bringing Durban Home (2002) — Composer of soundtrack for short subject, produced by Sugar Pictures and Breakthrough Television, narrated by Alice Walker.

Live Free or Die (2001; PBS) — Composer of soundtrack to feature documentary directed by Rose Rosenblatt.  Human Rights Watch International Film Festival. pbs.org/pov/pov2000/livefreeordie/

UrbanWorld Films Logo (2001) — Composer of musical logo for UrbanWorld Films.

King of the Jungle (2001) — Composer of trailer for feature film, produced by UrbanWorld films, starring John Leguizamo.

Life Afterlife (2000; HBO) —  Composer of soundtrack to feature documentary directed by Lisa Jackson, featuring medium John Edward (“Crossing Over”).  Eclectic score, ranging from chamber and orchestral textures á la Goréki, Schubert & Glass, to Afro-Cuban and Indonesian percussion, with Baroque elements.

Baby Steps (2000; Atom Films) — Composer.  Comedic fiction short starring Kathy Bates, directed by Geoffrey Nauffts.  Big-band jazz violin å la Stefan Grapelli.

Uncommon Grounds (2000; Sugar Pictures & Rain Productions) — Composer. Documentary short about caffeine, based on book by Mark Pendergrast.  Up-tempo boogie-woogie.

The Geography of Nowhere (2000; Sugar Pictures & Rain Productions) — Composer. Documentary short abut the decline of American architecture, based on book by James Kunstler.  Keyboard minimalism.

Fresco (1999; PBS; Documentary Feature) — Composer.  Narrated by Susan Sarandon. Classical score with electronic elements and both Western and ethnic Chinese instrumentation .

The Lost American (1998; Frontline) — Composer of soundtrack for documentary feature produced by Sherry Jones, narrated by Harrison Ford.

The Family Life of Animals: The Road to Independence (1998) — Composer of soundtrack to documentary produced by Pangolin Pictures for  Readers Digest Television and Video.  African-influenced score.

The Family Life of Animals: Adventures in Childrearing (1998) — Composer of soundtrack to documentary produced by Pangolin Pictures for  Readers Digest Television and Video.  African-influenced score.

Number One (1998) — Composer of soundtrack to dramatic short written and directed by Caroline Kava, starring Cherry Jones.  DGA Award, Best Female Filmmaker.  Country & Western score with contemporary dance elements.

Looters (1997; National Geographic) — Composer of soundtrack to documentary produced by Pangolin Pictures.  Emmy Nomination for Outstanding News and Documentary Program Achievement.  Native-American-influenced score.

The Substance of Fire (1997; Miramax) — Composer of additional music to feature film directed by Dan Sullivan, based on award-winning play by Jon Robin Baitz.  Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Timothy Hutton, Tony Goldwyn, Ron Rifkin, Eric Bogosian.

The Irreversible Year (1996) — Composer of soundtrack to feature film  produced by Outlaw Entertainment, directed by Steven Olivieri.  Abstract textures, often atonal, much like sound design.

Heart of Africa: Forest Primeval (1996; National Geographic) — Composer.  Avery Brooks, Narrator.  Emmy Nomination for Outstanding News and Documentary Program Achievement.  African-influenced soundtrack. imdb.com/title/tt0320865

Heart of Africa: Jewel of the Rift (1996; National Geographic) — Composer.

Heart of Africa: Fire and Ice (1996; National Geographic) — Composer of Theme Song

Last Summer In The Hamptons (1995; Rainbow Films) — Music Supervisor for feature film directed by Henry Jaglom, starring Ron Rifkin, Roddy McDowell, Viveca Lindfors, Victoria Foyt.

The New Chimpanzees (1995; National Geographic) — Composer.  TV Special narrated by Linda Hunt.  Winner, Best Commercial Film, Jackson Hole International Film Festival; Christopher Columbus Award; Genesis Award.  African-influenced soundtrack.

Polio Water (1995) — Composer of soundtrack to dramatic short written and directed by Caroline Kava.  New York Film Festival.  IFC Grand Prize, Princess Grace Award.  Chamber/vocal score.

Still Life (1994) — Composer of soundtrack to dramatic short written and directed by Ann Deborah Levy.  San Francisco Poetry Video & Film Festival.  Abstract and eclectically ethnic score, featuring guitar, bass flute, viola and African thumb pianos.

Three Hotels (1991; American Playhouse, PBS) — Composer of soundtrack to feature “teleplay” written and directed by Jon Robin Baitz, starring Kate Nelligan & Richard Jordan.  Winner, Humanitas Award.

Double Dealing (1982) — Composer of soundtrack to dramatic short written and directed by Stephen Wasserstein.   American Film Festival.

Le Plan Americaine (The American Shot) (1980) — Composer of soundtrack to dramatic short written and directed by Stephen Wasserstein. Grand Prix, Velden International Film Festival; Gold Medal, Melbourne Int’l. Film Festival.

The Goldfish (1978) — Composer of soundtrack to animated short subject.