Live @ Tree Sound Studios Review
03.05.09
Live at Tree Sound Studios should have been Laura Reed and Deep Pocket's debut release. 2007's Soul:Music was a fine effort but it was lacking a few things: namely funk and urgency. Live rectifies matters, showcasing why this unit have become an in-demand draw on the live circuit. The main reason is Reed, a truly accomplished soul music vocalist in the mould of Erykah Badu or Jill Scott, with a bit of Teena Marie's blue-eyed style thrown into the mix. She has the chops to carry Deep Pocket's lofty mix of reggae, soul, funk and her new age musings with earthy credibility. There's nary a bad, or even mediocre, track on Live but the true standouts are "Gotta Pay The Man," a bluesy slab of throbbing fatback funk and "Thank You," which joins the Spinners' "I Could Never (Repay Your Love)" and Angie Stone's "Life Goes On" as one of the most pleasant break-up songs ever recorded. As an added bonus, there's a 45-minute DVD included in this package that has some interesting backstage featurettes and some nice performance footage. If you're looking for conscious, positive and downright good funky music, Live at Tree Sound Studios is a must-hear. (Independent)
Laura Reed & Deep Pocket
Live at Tree Sound Studios
By Matt Bauer
01.01.07
Amplifier Magazine
01.01.08
Laura Reed & Deep Pocket – Soul:Music
Laura Reed calls her CD -- appropriately enough - Soul:Music. That’s because these 11 songs cover extensive territory across a loosely defined soul music spectrum. For example, “What’s Going On” (which has a Marvin Gaye song title, but isn’t that song), grooves to a loping Bob Marley reggae beat and is colored by honking sax. And when Reed isn’t surrounding herself musically with nearly the whole box of Crayolas, she’s altering her singing style like some diva Zelig -- just dig the Billie Holiday vocal tones on “Forces at Play.” Although Reed draws from gospel roots, as do all honest proponents of the soul genre, she is clearly a lyrical secularist. For example, the song title “Praise You” appears to peg it as an obvious worship track. But Reed leaves it wide open for interpretation, allowing listeners to sing it to their man/woman or god. As she’s performing “Praise You,” Reed also leaves a lot of glorious space in the mix, which makes it beautifully similar to many of Van Morrison’s equally cryptic spirituals. With Soul:Music, Reed combines Ani DiFranco’s independent spirit with the powerful pipes of a spirit-filled church choir soloist. And tell me, how can you go wrong with that?
-- Dan MacIntosh
Bold Life Magazine
04.01.08
Bold Life Magazine
April 2008
Robin Tolleson
Laura Reed formed her band Deep Pocket while attending Appalachian State University in Boone, and they moved to Asheville last year. It’s the perfect spot for her world beats and one world vibe. “The overall message of our music is the concept of one love, for all humanity. It’s this whole concept of being connected,” she explains. “That’s something that I picked up being from South Africa and seeing all the craziness that South Africa has to offer, then coming to the United States, which is a pretty wild place too.” Reed spent a lot of her childhood traveling with her mother. “Once you get out of the country and meet people all over the world, it’s hard not to love them all,” she contends. “It’s hard not to see the connection and just see how similar we all are. A lot of our stuff is kind of blues-oriented, experience-oriented, where maybe the message isn’t trying to change the world, but at the same time behind everything is the concept of trying to be connected. I started noticing at a young age that the language of music was universal, and was the best way to communicate anything worthwhile to people.”
Soul:Music Review
09.01.07
http://www.acousticmusic.com/fame/p04513.htm
Soul:Music
A review written for the Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange
by Frank Gutch Jr.
(frank.gutch.jr@gmail.com)
Slip this puppy into your disc player and before you can say I give it an 87, it has a good beat and you can dance to it, Laura Reed & Deep Pocket will have you bobbing your head and tapping your feet and wishing you were at the local pub ordering your favorite brew. Slightly funky and not even close to mainstream, Well is one of those catchy numbers one would expect to be buried amongst the rest, relying more on choogling beat than melody, but it is perfect introduction to the band. Fronted by Laura Reed, who spent part of her youth soaking up South African culture (she was born and spent her early years there), the band features a rhythm section ready to switch beats on a dime and more than willing to do so, judging by the varied tunes on Soul:Music. From the funky Well, Deep Pockets falls off the edge with the slow bluesy Forces At Play, Reed's voice emulating, I swear to God, muted trumpet (and very well, indeed) before reaching deep for a voice which reaches out and grabs you before you know it. Voices mentioned for comparison purposes in press notices are Amy Winehouse, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu and even Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald and pardon me if I was skeptic because those are some strong and unique voices there, but I'll be damned if halfway through Forces, I began to hear it. It isn't the voice itself but the comfort and ease with which it is delivered. From the bouncy Rise Up (with solid support from the Asheville Horns) to the soulful Movin' On to the African rhythms of One World to the beautiful and contemplative ballad Praise You, Reed proves deserving of the praise she is just now receiving.
But hey, Reed isn't the only person here. Deep Pocket is one solid band, good enough to be an integral part of the music and to toss the term "backing band" aside. Drummer Jim Bonk and bassist Ben Didelot lay as solid a rhythm as you might need on any of the eleven tracks here (for a laugh, log onto the band's website and click on "bio" for the humorous take on Bonk's name) and Ryan Burns is a fanatic about the Hammond organ he plays and plays so damn well (again, a simple click on Burns' bio on their website will illuminate). You want funk, they can play it. You want soul, it's there. And grooves? What's Going On glides along on the slow and funky groove of Bonk and Didelot so well, you'll swear you're reliving the early days of funk all over again.
Laura Reed & Deep Pocket have been playing the outer reaches of Asheville, North Carolina for a short time now and one can only imagine what the release of this album will do for them. To my ears, there is all too little real quality R&B and soul out there these days. These guys could very well be on their way up and out—out of the small venues they've called home since their inception. You miss out on this CD, you're missing out on some great music. You miss out on Laura Reed & Deep Pocket at the local pub and find out later how really good they are, it is my guess you'll be kicking your ass for years to come. But hey, it's just a guess, and chances are they will be playing a music fest somewhere nearby, sometime. Your call.
Track List:
* Well
* Forces At Play
* What's Going On
* Rise Up
* Don't Go
* Movin' On
* One World
* Omm Lei Lei
* Praise You
* Tomorrow
* Chains of Temptation
All songs written and copyright 2007 by Laura Reed & Deep Pocket.
Edited by: David N. Pyles
(dnpyles@acousticmusic.com)
Copyright 2007, Peterborough Folk Music Society.
Home Grown Music Network Album Review
05.01.09
Live at Tree Sound Studios CD/DVD May 1st, 2009
Laura Reed and Deep Pocket offer a spectacular collection of live tracks with this well-produced, eco-friendly package.
Laura Reed (short in stature, but gigantic in voice) and her band, Deep Pocket, have gained increased exposure and recognition for their lush grooves and powerful songs. Deep Pocket is based out of Asheville, North Carolina, and this fertile environment has proved to be an excellent staging ground for their touring and studio efforts. This newest production, produced in an eco-friendly fashion with Tree Leaf Music, offers bountiful evidence that Laura Reed may be one of the great undiscovered talents in the music scene today. Laura’s short frame and mild demeanor belie the fact that she may have one of the most powerful voices to recently grace the stage. That may seem like robust praise, but when one listens to Laura Reed sing, one hears tinges of Lauryn Hill, dashes of Erykah Badu, and a heaping helping of Janis Joplin. Reed wears her heart on her sleeve in performances, belting out her songs with passion, fire and determination. The capable musicians in Deep Pocket offer precision and excellent execution to accompany her. Deep Pocket is comprised of Laura Reed, Ryan Burns on keys and organ, Ben Didelot on bass, Jimbonk on drums, while Debrissa McKinney contributes backup vocals. For this recording, (and at occasional shows) this core group is supplemented by the Asheville Horns, Greg Hollowell and Derrick Johnson (both of Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band fame), Silas Durocher on guitar, and Josh Phillips (Folk Festival) on percussion. The recordings presented in “Live at Tree Sound Studios” are warm and engaging, passionate and inspired.
“Live at Tree Sound Studios” begins with “Why Have a Frown.” After a brief introduction, Laura welcomes the crowd, belts out the opening lines, and reminds everyone that it feels “so good to be alive, when you got love on your side.” Passionate delivery is a trait of this song, and a signature for the album in general. This tune is punctuated with excellent horn work from Johnson and Hollowell, who offer enthusiastic embellishment to Reed’s inspired lyrics. The second track, “Thank You,” is prefaced with Reed’s thoughts on broken relationships and how those relationships shouldn’t continue to be a source of negativity. Although this sentiment is frequently lost in the world of jumbled heartbreak, this patient acceptance of life’s tribulations is leveling and encouraging. The song itself is lush, layered with keyboards and Reed’s impeccable voice. “Praise You” is deep and spiritually motivated, yet sonically engaging, rich, and warm at the same time. “Predictable” ambles slow out of the gates, subtle and loose, offering atmospheric textures for Reed’s amazing voice. “Don’t Go,” according to Reed’s introduction, is a song about “begging for forgiveness.” One can hear the loneliness, the quiet desperation in her voice; this is a song for heartbreak and drinking. The smooth, refined jam of “Happy” flows along next, as Reed’s delicate voice and lyrics remind one of the good side of Amy Winehouse. The album closes on the virtues of Reed’s chugging harmonica as she recounts the glory days of locomotives in the song “Train.” This inspired, rowdy song shows Deep Pocket hitting on all cylinders, with Reed bellowing on her harmonica and delivering lyrics like she was the crazed daughter of Janis Joplin. This spirited finale proves to be an excellent conclusion for an amazing album.
“Live at Tree Sound Studios” is one of the more special albums I have had the opportunity to review while working for the Home Grown Music Network. Reed and her cronies present something that is truly special and unique with this collection of songs, some of which were culled from Reed’s debut disc, Soul Music. Reed has that sort of cross-generational, genre-transcending voice that could poise her for stardom. Reed has that sort of special voice that I would share with my Dad, could share with my Grandmother, and have shared with my sons and friends. Included with the disc is a bonus DVD spotlighting 5 live performances from the Tree Sound session that is a nice accompaniment to the package. In presenting this ambitious, polished selection of tracks, Laura Reed and Deep Pocket appear poised to take over the world, one song at a time. I will be there, listening…
- By J. Evan Wade
Laura Reed Expecting!! But the music continues...
06.17.09
As you may know, Laura Reed is expecting to have her first child. As of now she is 7 months pregnant, and preparing for a baby boy. The full band is taking a hiatus during this time from shows, however are still working on different side projects and new music.
Laura has been doing a select number of "Acoustic Soul" shows until the baby is born. She is expected to continue after the birth with an acoustic lineup until she joins the band on the road.
Several members can be found playing with other LRDP and Geniass Productions family such as Josh Phillips Folk Festival and Jen & the Juice, both local Asheville, NC bands.
As far as new music, Laura will be updating the myspace and the website with unreleased material her and the band have been working on lately for you to get a sneak peak. You can also hear her and Debrissa on the upcoming Karl Denson album, expected to be released this fall.
Laura will be updating information on her pregnancy, and don't worry...will make sure to put some adorable baby pictures online =)
It will be a little while until you see her and the band in full effect, however for nostalgic moments check out their many videos on youtube, as well as keeping up with Laura on myspace, facebook, and the website.
and as always..
Peace, blessings, Soul Power..
and ONE LOVE!!
It's a Boy!
10.15.09
The long awaited arrival of Laura Reed's son finally came on September 6, 2009 at 8:38 pm. Her baby boy, Zion Jahrya, came into the world listening to Bossa Nova and weighing in at 7 pounds and 5 ounces.
She has been enjoying the extended time with her son and her family since taking a performance hiatus, however Laura plans to take the stage and the recording booth again soon. Her next confirmed show is in Macon, Georgia, December 5th at the 1st annual Fly South Festival.
She will be performing acoustically for the next few months until forming a full band again around the Spring. The acoustic lineup includes Erik De la Cruz (Mexico) on percussion and Daniela Soledade (Brazil) on vocals, guitar, and flute. Laura will also be joined by Deep Pocket members and other well known guests, embracing a rotating lineup that captures the true essence of her songwriting, voice, and performance.
She is also working on releasing an acoustic/roots album this year that will feature many new songs as well as old favorites performed in their original form. This album will feature many guest musicians from around the world as well as old familiars. Laura will be sharing many of this new material at her upcoming shows and hopes to have the album ready by next summer.
You can check out upcoming show dates, as well as baby pictures at www.myspace.com/laurareedmusic and the website.
Members of Deep Pocket are continuing to stay busy with projects like the Josh Phillips Folk Festival and Jen and the Juice, both Asheville folk outfits. More news can be found by visiting the Geniass Productions site at www.myspace.com/geniass
Thanks goes out to all of those who continued their support and appreciation over the last year. Laura and the band look forward to seeing you at a show again soon!
New Directions
12.18.09
Greetings,
The members of Laura Reed & Deep Pocket would like to make a public statement to all of their fans and musical community. As of 2010 Laura Reed and Deep Pocket will no longer be performing together in their original lineup. Due to various reasons as well as obligations that were fostered while Laura was on pregnancy leave, members will be performing with and joining other musical groups and entities as themselves, not as Deep Pocket. Laura Reed will continue to perform and record, and will be collaborating with members of Deep Pocket over time. The group considers this step a fresh page, and plan to release music that they have been working on up to this point soon via download. The group sends their thanks and appreciation to those that supported them, namely Geniass Productions, Tree Sound Studios, Tree Leaf Music, and Lokk & Co, and plans to still be working within these entities to create great art and music, just in various lineups and forms unassociated with Laura Reed & Deep Pocket. The full Laura Reed & Deep Pocket lineup does not have any future plans to perform together at the moment; however friendship still presides over the group and this separation is not one of disdain but rather of embarking in different directions -musically, professionally, and as individuals.
Message from Laura:
We appreciate the support of everyone, and hope you will continue to enjoy the music that we brought to you as Laura Reed & Deep Pocket. We apologize for the bad news, but promise to keep an open mind about future collaborations and sharing of the music that we have recorded and created together. We have the utmost respect for each other as artists and people and will continue to do so. I believe there were just different circumstances that hindered us from being on the same page professionally, personally, and musically. This is not an end, just a different direction. I personally look forward to performing again, rejoining the musical community, and making music again with my good friends from Deep Pocket as well as our broad musical family. Thank you all!
New Music to be Released
05.17.10
In the coming weeks we will be releasing new music from the vault of Laura Reed and Deep Pocket. These recordings were made before the band split last year and are charged with sincere emotion and energy. These recordings stand out from all other music released by the band and feature such great artists as Kofi Burbridge, Nigel Hall, and Bobby Lee Rogers. The music is getting it's finishing touches now and will be available online only, and a special mix will be sent to all those on the mailing list, so if you havn't signed up yet, you can still do so here at www.laurareed.com or at Laura's live shows. We are very excited that this music is being shared and we hope you enjoy...