With this album, Flatpicking Legend Larry Keel delivers a 14-song adventure exploding with the imagination, boldness and redefined expression that defines his New Mountain Music.

14 MP3 Songs
COUNTRY: Bluegrass, ROCK: Acoustic



Details:
With the fifth fully self-produced album âJourneyâ Larry Keel delivers a 14-song adventure exploding with the imagination, boldness and refined expression that defines his New Mountain Music. The energy in these tracks is boundless, carrying the listener through a sonic odyssey interspersed with both familiar, traditional themes and some startling new territories. Eight of the songs are Keelâs own compositions including 2 instrumentals, âPontapeesâ and âMark Vannâs Songâ (the latter was co-written with one of Larryâs early mentors in progressive Bluegrass, banjo innovator Mark Vann of Leftover Salmon). In his original reggae piece âJust Having Funâ Keel stretches the acoustic boundaries of his 1936 Gibson L-00 guitar by adding effects that recall Les Paulâs guitar tone and the early studio sound of Bob Marley and the Wailers. Keel paints honest and autobiographical images of Mountain living in the song âMotherâ, celebrating that great ladyâs life story, and in his own romping tribute to the ways of the hills in âMountain Song.â The ethereal, Oriental-sounding tune âDreamsâ is directly inspired by the film of the same name, and represents Keelâs deep admiration for the work of Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa. Back on the mainland Keel pays homage to the timeless influence of George Jonesâ country ballad style of songwriting with the song he wrote for his wife Jenny Keel (a.k.a. âAngeâ). The album takes its very appropriate title from Keelâs centerpiece composition âJourney,â whose melody and message evoke a bittersweet affirmation of the ultimate voyage, life.

The tracks on âJourneyâ not penned by Keel reflect the deep impact that Southern roots music has made on this Appalachian-born musician. Bill Monroeâs âRoanokeâ (Keel plays mandolin on this raucous version), fiddler John Ashbyâs âBroad Run Picnicâ, the Traditional fiddle tune âRoad to Columbusâ, Blind Willie Johnsonâs âGod Donât Never Changeâ, Alabama Funk Master Jerry Reedâs âKo Ko Joeâ and a version of Old Time âHang Manâ compliment Keelâs originals and complete his vision of the musical journey that the whole project represents.

Keel varies the instrumentation in type and number all through the project, but his pure virtuoso guitar sound propels every song forward, as do his distinctive âgravelyâ vocals on those songs with lyrics. Featured acoustic instrumentalists include David VanDeventer on Fiddle, Danny Knicely on Mandolin, Robert Mabe and Will Lee on Banjos, Gary Ruley on Guitar and Jenny Keel on Upright Bass.