Reed will celebrate 'Soul' at Pourhouse

By Kevin Young
Charleston Preview
Charleston, SC
December 13, 2007

For some people, passion and music go hand in hand. Asheville, N.C., resident Laura Reed is no exception.

Wednesday, the songstress will be making an appearance at The Pour House on James Island to celebrate the release of Laura Reed & Deep Pocket's new CD "Soul:Music," an album that is a veritable musical stew, made up of equal amounts of worldbeat, funk , blues and, most importantly, soul.

Recently, Preview spoke with the Johannesburg native about the significance of music, her influences, live audiences and her new CD.

Preview: First off, what was it like living in Johannesburg?

Reed: I was young when I lived there, and so my memories are those that seem significant to a child. I do remember the confusion I felt often due to the segregation. Even as a child that always struck me as unnatural. Living in that place at that time was pretty epic and still to this day feels like it was a movie I watched or book I read, it seems so far away from where I am these days, yet so much a part of who I am today.

Preview: Do you find that living there has influenced your style and taste in music?

Reed: Most definitely. I am usually adorned in beads and clothes from there that my mother continues to bring for me when she goes back. My musical tastes have definitely been influenced by South Africa. I'm a huge fan (of) vocal harmonies and poly rhythms ... which are heavily laced throughout South African music ...

Preview: Your music seems to combine a lot of different sounds to create one form of music. Was it always this way or was it a slow process that stemmed from doing music that was straight genre?

Reed: I would say our sound is a result of listening to all types of music from the beginning, as well as having a band that draws from many musical wells like R&B, Soul, world grooves, hip-hop, reggae, progressive rock, metal and salsa. Everyone brings their own sound to the blend. It's definitely been a process. Before I had the band behind me I was just writing everything on guitar, which limited the sound I could achieve.

Preview: When you think of music, how important do you think it is for the music to have a message?

Reed: For me, it is the point of the music. That's why I decided to share my music. I felt that there was an inspired message that speaks to people and spoke directly with me as well this has to be shared.

Preview: With the CD release party coming up at The Pour House , what was the recording process like?

Reed: It was like a huge cleanse. All this music that had been inside and around me for so long was able to be captured and spread around the world. It's a feeling unlike any other. We recorded "Soul:Music" in five days, this includes mixing all the tracks. So, in other words, we were literally staying in the studio and recording nonstop. It's not the ideal, but it was our only choice considering the little budget we had to work with. The studio, Echo Mountain, used to be a cathedral in downtown Asheville that they retrofitted to be a studio. We recorded live in the studio with the full band set up. There was a high energy in the room, with the huge stained glass windows surrounding us and the whirlwind of energy and excitement over actually being there and making our album. It was very inspired. So much so that we wrote the song "tomorrow" while in the studio, it was a reflection of all I felt in those days.

Preview: How important is the audience's vibe when you come on stage? Does it sustain you in a positive way?

Reed: The audience is the crucial element of the show. It doesn't matter on the size, but rather the energy that is passed around. If I am pouring my heart and energy out, and the crowd gives it right back to me I feel recharged and elevated. I've heard some beautiful stories and some sincere appreciation from folks who relate to our music. I'm very thankful.