Roem Baur
Roem Baur is a San Francisco based singer-songwriter with a "stirring vocal range and a passion for his music" (Nina Ragonese, WMATT) that proves to be worthy of the unusual distinction of his epithet (which came to his young, single mother in a dream shortly before he was born). A classically trained tenor with a four octave range and award-winning singer (MAMA and Elly Awards), Baur has begun to distinguish himself in the San Francisco scene with his unconventional takes on blues, soul and folk music coupled with the wit and energy he brings to his live performances. Baur's song work also draws inspiration from 60's folk music, his early operatic training and years of touring internationally in choirs. Describing what inspires him, he says, “When I listen to great soul singers, like the late Etta James for example, I just listen to her sing a simple line, and there’s truth and brokenness, it’s internal. There is anger, triumph--everything. There is a complete story happening in every line. That’s a lesson for me.” As he takes the leap from performing singer-songwriter to a fuller, more realized sound, Baur's band will include organ, tuba, bass trombone, guitar and drums. "The new band is a concept I've had running around my head for years - orchestra meets blues and soul. When the right talents come together and the planets align... you get a chance to do something really special. This sound is hard to explain even to fellow musicians who haven't heard it. It's something you feel."