Sofie delivers her bluesy, earthy, original songs by accompanying herself with dulcimer, lap steel guitar, foot-stomping and harmonica. She is a One Woman Band.
Sofie Reed is a self-taught, independent, international touring grassroots artist whose unique, soulful style is loved and appreciated all over the world. Through a rich creative journey spanning three decades, Sofie has evolved as a vocalist, composer and one-of-a-kind musical visionary. Her musical style encompasses roots-blues, folk-blues and even roots-appalachian-with-a-dalecarlian-twist. However it’s termed, Sofie thrills audiences all over the world with her extraordinary artistry.
Sofie left Ludvika, Sweden, as an eighteen year-old young adult in 1987. She settled in a 'less preferred hood' of Minneapolis, on her own. For several years, she freelanced as a stylist within the local music scene, until one of her clients, Sheila Charles, daughter of Ray Charles, hired her as a back-up singer. That pivotal encounter led to Sofie performing session work throughout the Twin Cities, followed by performances with her former husband, finger-style guitarist Preston Reed. Eventually, she left Minneapolis and moved to Colorado. Chris Kresge of the Rocky Mountain Music Network comments, “Over the past decade, living in the foothills west of Denver, Sofie’s many experiences as a lone Swedish immigrant in a foreign culture have allowed her to create an intriguing and colorful story, reflected in her unique approach to her music and performance.”
A refreshing alternative from a modern musical world dominated by electronic compositions, Sofie Reed manages to step back in time and achieve the same level of energy, rhythm, and uniqueness that any synthesized note can provide. Playing a dulcimer, an instrument of the early 19th century, Sofie blends the slow, resonating tone of the strings with her warm and emotionally captivating voice. The album starts off upbeat, and in the second song “Leaving This Morning” the truly soulful elements of Sofie’s songwriting begin to shine through. Even in slower songs like “Simplicity Chased Trouble Away” she keeps the passion alive, allowing her to move seamlessly from track to track and create a rich variety of sounds throughout them all. Though the songs she closes with are not originals, her adaption of the blues classics “Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen” and “Bye Bye Bird” really showcase her ability to put her own distinctive touch on any song. An invigorating balance of sounds, Simplicity Chased Trouble Away provides an undeniably enjoyable listening experience for anyone willing to be affected by the music.
The blues done gone and got me again. You think it’s safe to go out and haunt those 12 bars all by yourself and you find that somebody does it better than you ever can. That’s the way I feel about Sofie Reed and her album “Simplicity Chased Trouble Away”. She does it better than I ever could and simplicity is the key to her approach..
Perhaps sensing that the blues is best kept close to its roots, Ms Reed keeps it simple and true throughout with little more than a splash of harmony vocals added to her one woman band endeavour. Blues standards like “Nobody knows The Troubles I’ve Seen” are duly handled with the necessary reverence and her own material – the edgy “Tinder For Your Love” stands out here – fits seamlessly alongside. You might think therefore that this is a serious album, perhaps even an academic one reflecting on a musical form that can render itself out of time and place but fortunately that is not the case here as there is a playfulness and a clear love for the genre that shines through even the most emotionally downbeat moments. “Open”, for example, is handled as something of an exercise in syncopation and would, in all likelihood, transfer nicely to the piano. You’d still want Ms Reed’s once bitten twice shy voice though. Trust me, you would.
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