Photo: Steve Woychick

Photo: Steve Woychick

Treefort 2015 was already well underway. Day two was warm with nary a cloud to be seen. The hidden gem, just a few blocks removed from some of the most popular venues for the festival is The District Coffee House. Large glass windows, lining the corner establishment, bathed the quaint location in natural light as Jan Reed took to the stage.

The local singer/songwriter/environmental planner-by-day unassumingly filled the room with her acoustic guitar. Reed’s organic sound, reminiscent of the earthy folk sounds of a Woodstock era, completely lacked pretense and protest. Instead it complimented the vintage style and venue with a soft, but never dull, simplicity that would come to be a beautiful moment in an otherwise crazy festival.

The crowd, a mixture of those familiar with Reed’s music and those who happened to stumble upon this somewhat intimate set, hung to each song with appreciative patience. Though a quiet individual, Jan Reed kept a strong stage presence and joked with the crowd; at one point saying “I’ll see some of you at work tomorrow”. There was not a person present that, for one moment, became bored.

The simple acoustic set would develop into duet, featuring the talents of Jean Cardeño who added fiddle, mandolin, backing vocals, and whit. Together, the two crafted a captivating sound that is not all too common at such a large body as Treefort.

But by the end, returning to a solo acoustic sound, Jan Reed closed her show with the grace and style she so solidly held throughout. The coffee shop was in awe of the voice and writing of a local singer/songwriter that we can only hope to hear more from in the near future. Ultimately, Jan Reed and Jean Cardeño crafted something more than simply a set at a festival, they painted a warm, relaxing memory for all those present that was back-lit by a beautiful day in an otherwise chaotic city.

GregGreg is a regular contributor and co-founder at Nanobot.