When Jim Baron moved to Powell River more than a decade ago, he was not sure at first how his music would fit into the local scene. It did not take long, however, for him to find an audience for his classic ’50s and ’60s cover songs and some of his own originals.
"All I heard when I first got here was hard rock," says Baron. "I toured with the Legends of Rock and Roll and we used to play concert halls and high-end cabarets, so when I came here I really didn't feel like I fit musically."
Baron, whose trio band plays The Vault on Friday, July 21, has established a fan base he can call his own, as well as appealing to music fans of all ages, given the chance.
With a set list that spans the work of The Beatles, Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley and much more, Baron says the universal language of music spans generations.
"Everyone can enjoy the music I play," he says. "It's a cultural thing and people automatically connect to the music of the ’50s and ’60s."
According to The Vault owner Amy Sharp, she sought out Baron because she knew her venue would be intimate and perfectly suited to the trio's brand of rockabilly.
"It will be hard not to dance to the sounds of the Jim Baron Trio,” says Sharp. "Come early for a good seat because this show will sell out.”
Baron grew up in Winnipeg and has been fronting bands since he was 15 years old. Whether it is his solo work or fronting a band, the constant is Baron's soaring voice and precision guitar playing.
"Winnipeg was a great place to cut my teeth and develop my chops because audiences there are tough," he says, "and you have to work hard for their loyalty."
Baron's trio includes local musicians Daniel Richard on bass and Alex Aumais on drums. Both players are comfortable with Baron's improvisational style and love of song medleys.
“The beauty of working with these guys is they can read me like a book," says Baron. "With most bands you have a set list, but with these guys everything is fluid and halfway through a song I can morph into something else if I need to. Those are the kind of musicians I need to play with."
Jim Baron Trio
When: 8 pm, Friday, July 21
Where: The Vault (4871 Joyce Avenue, near River City Coffee)
Price: $15, tickets at The Vault and River City Coffee
Info: 604.414.4168, facebook.com/vaultvenue
