Dreamspider's Blog » Larry Keel Music

Bluegrass Documentary Podcast: Interviews with Sam Bush, Larry Keel and Tim White

dreamspider — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:08:56 +0000

Myke Scaffidi put this wonderful audio documentary together about Bluegrass Music for Appalachian State College in Boone, NC. He interviews Sam Bush, Larry Keel and Tim White. Below is a brief description of the 10 minute podcast. You can listen to it here: http://www.mykescaffidi.com/myke/media/hillbilly_jazz_bluegrass_mixdown.wav

Bill Monroe

Larry Keel

Myke Scaffidi writes: “Today’s bluegrass musicians are pushing the boundaries of the genre by incorporating increasingly new influences. In addition to the many innovative artists working today, the traditional sound of bluegrass embodied by Bill Monroe still flourishes. Just as foreign influences and rural southern music blended with elements of African American blues and gospel to form early bluegrass, new styles and techniques are evolving thanks to the continuing tradition of band-hopping musicians.

Sam Bush

The music represents an often-overlooked American art form and I feel privileged to have worked on this project to broaden the public’s understanding. I was fortunate to have the participation of great interviewees including Sam Bush, Larry Keel and Tim White; and it would have been impossible to tell the story without their perspective and acknowledgement of the early pioneers as well.”

Click here to listen and/ or download:http://www.mykescaffidi.com/myke/media/hillbilly_jazz_bluegrass_mixdown.wav

Lingua Musica Interviews with Larry and Jenny Keel!

dreamspider — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:41:17 +0000

Lingua Musica Interviews with Larry and Jenny Keel!

Erin Scholze with Dreamspider Publicity interviews Larry and Jenny Keel at Pisgah Brewing in Black Mountain, NC on October 6, 2011. The Keels talk about their music workshops which combine songwriting with trout and bass fishing, their upcoming album, playing with Steve McMurry, Gove Scrivenor, Jeff Mosier, Caroline Pond, Keller Williams and more. This video as filmed and edited by Tony Preston and is copyright Luminescence 2011.

http://larrykeel.com/
http://www.fishinandpickin.com/
http://dreamspider.net/
http://amrmediaproductions.com/
http://linguamusicalive.com/

Suwannee Springfest Announced More Bands for the Fest This Past Week~ Fantastic Lineup!

dreamspider — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:42:35 +0000

Suwanne Springfest 2012 announced more bands for the fest this past week~ Fantastic lineup!

suwanneespringfest.com

Fishin and Pickin Presents Trout and Tunes 2 with Larry Keel on May 17-20, 2012!

dreamspider — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:06:17 +0000

Fishin and Pickin Presents Trout and Tunes 2 May 17-20, 2012!

It will be at Elk River Inn, cabins, and restaurant in Slatyfork, WV near Snowshoe Ski Resort. Three days of instruction, small concerts, incredible food, and lodging. Enjoy pickin or just listening, relaxing with friends, fly and spin fishing for trout, beautiful scenery, learn a new lick, and listen to great music in a relaxed environment. Meals are included from Thursday evening through Sunday Breakfast. Private instruction, cabins, private rooms and bunkhouses are all available. Also enjoy hiking trails, mountain bike trails right out the door, porch pickin and campfires!

Join Larry Keel and Natural Bridge for a weekend to remember!

For more information or reservations please call: 304-572-3771 or 866-572-3771 or email at info@ertc.com and visit www.elkriverinnandrestaurant.com

www.larrykeel.com

Facebook at Fishin Pickin

NOLA Update From The Keels on Recording the Bluebrass Project 2!

dreamspider — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 17:38:23 +0000

Bluebrass Strings- Horns - Big Chief Monk

Here’s a note from Larry and Jenny Keel and some snapshots of the Bluebrass Session they were recording last week in New Orleans:

Bluebrass String Section

We were honored this last week to be a part of a project where all the musicians created an entirely new form of music…legends from the New Orleans music scene and pioneers of the acoustic music scene collaborated to create Bluebrass 2… it is the continuation of the first project which we recorded in 2004, combining influences from Ireland, Scotland, England, Africa, America,delta blues, western swing, on and on … made for the most spiritual project I have ever been a part of…

Recorded entirely inside the legendary Maple Leaf Bar, on Oak Street, and produced by the presiding King of Oak, Chris Jones, and executive producer Little King Steve Metcalf (royalty out the ass!!), we were guided into an adventure of epic proportions- taking a magical musical journey with all kinds of string musicians and brass and drummers: a cast of up to 15 people.. so far!

Lionel Batiste Jr

including heavy weights from the Rebirth Brass Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Mardi Gras Indian Chiefs, Acoustic Syndicate, Mad Tea Party, Aaron “Woody” Wood, and 101 Runners!

Stay tuned for more info and for this music you won’t be able to resist- we’re still reeling with funky goodness from that trip!

Bryon McMurry and Kirk Joseph's Souzaphone

Help Raise Funds for Billy Constable to Offset Medical Expenses at Larry Keel and Natural Bridge Shows This December

dreamspider — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:00:40 +0000

The following concerts are in conjunction with a benefit Larry Keel and Natural Bridge is hosting for an entire weekend for our good friend Billy Constable. Billy has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and has just had brain surgery and does not have insurance. LKNB will be accepting donations on his behalf, donating their merchandise sales and hosting a 50/50 raffle to raise money for Billy to offset his medical expenses.
Visit www.billyconstable.com for more info.

Melting Point in Athens, GA 12/8
Legal Grounds in Rutherfordton, NC 12/9
Pour House in Charleston, SC 12/10

Billy has been diagnosed with a lump on the lower portion of his brain which has been causing increasingly frequent seizures. He is currently seeing medical specialists and gathering evaluations. The expense is certain to be high, and Billy is without medical insurance. We are coming together, as friends and fellow musicians, to help offset those costs.

Billy Constable grew up in a very musical family in Avery County, and he has been playing music for most of his life. Billy is part of Avery County’s Wiseman family, which includes a number of professional musicians including Scotty Wiseman, Lawrence Wiseman, David Wiseman, Fiddling Jimmy Wiseman, banjo picker Kent Wiseman, and Billy’s mother, Lois.

Billy began playing guitar professionally as a youngster with bluegrass great Charlie Moore, who had married Billy’s mother. He also played in Douglas Dillard’s newly formed “post Dillards” bluegrass band The Doug Dillard Band from Hollywood, which also featured Byron Berline and occasional guests like Vassar Clements and Sam Bush.

Billy’s approach to the banjo is firmly rooted in Appalachian string music, but it can be deceptively eclectic. His influences begin at home and with his family, but Billy’s repertoire is vast, and he is comfortable in most musical situations. In addition to banjo, Billy is also an accomplished musician on the guitar, mandolin and violin.

Travers Chandler writes in Bluegrass Today, “I was well aware of what a musical giant Billy Constable was. He had spent time with The Doug Dillard Band, toured with Kenny Baker and Josh Graves, and later worked with envelope-pushers like Larry Keel, Leftover Salmon, and String Cheese Incident on both banjo and guitar. It wasn’t until I had moved to Asheville in 2010, though, that I became aware of what a rare human being he was – both as a friend, and a brother in the order of acoustic music. We had spoken a time or two during my research on Charlie, and I knew of his prowess and ability to play all kinds of acoustic music: jamband, gypsy, rock and roll… The guy is a genius.”

“He was a mentor to all of us,” Jon Jon Davis said [in an interview in the Boone Mountain Times with Frank Ruggiero],“and he’s played with everybody.”

LKNB’s Mark Schimick says in the same interview, “Billy Constable was the main bluegrass teacher for Jon Jon and myself,” he said. “When he first heard us play, he heard a bunch of green musicians, as far as bluegrass is concerned, but he heard how we knew to play the rhythm to it,” Schimick said.

During the next couple years, Constable became their bluegrass mentor, teaching them how to play solos, sing the parts and behave on the road. “In a lot of ways, he helped us all get started on how to become professional musicians,” Schimick said. “Playing with him is like playing with family,” Schimick said. “He’s just as down to earth playing on stage as he is hanging out.”

For more information about Billy Constable and for updates on his medical situation, please visit: www.billyconstable.com.

If people would prefer to mail a donation, please mail to:
Dave Ruch
155 St James Place
Buffalo NY 14222
dave@daveruch.com
716-884-6855

Fundraiser for Billy Constable on Sun, Dec 11th at the Grey Eagle: Big Daddy Bluegrass Band, The AVL Bluegrass Collective, Jason Burleson, David Via & Nikki Talley

dreamspider — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:28:13 +0000

All proceeds will go directly to helping offset Billy’s medical expenses.

Asheville, NC — A large group of friends has come together in the bluegrass and acoustic music scene in the area to help our good buddy, Billy Constable, raise funds to offset his medical expenses for a brain tumor that he was recently diagnosed with. The Grey Eagle is hosting the event on Sunday, December 11, 2011. The doors open at 6pm, donations will be accepted, and there will also be a silent auction. Bands performing are Big Daddy Bluegrass Band, Asheville Bluegrass Collective (featuring: members of Steep Canyon Rangers, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge and Town Mountain), Jason Burleson and the Bluegrass Buddies, and Nikki Talley.

Travers Chandler writes in Bluegrass Today, “Anyone familiar with the acoustic music scene of Western NC, or with the music of the legendary Charlie Moore, is no stranger to Billy Constable. In fact, I am not certain Billy encountered many strangers. He is a friend to many people, and to those of us fortunate to know him well, even a great mentor.”

Billy has been diagnosed with a lump on the lower portion of his brain which has been causing increasingly frequent seizures. He is currently seeing medical specialists and gathering evaluations. The expense is certain to be high, and Billy is without medical insurance. We are coming together here, as friends and fellow musicians, to help offset those costs.

After touring with The Doug Dillard Band, Billy took a break from the road in order to work on his banjo skills while playing in a family’s band, The Constables, who were living in California at the time. He later had the opportunity to tour with two more bluegrass greats, Kenny Baker, a veteran fiddler from Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys, and Josh Graves, a long time Dobro player with Flatt & Scruggs’ Foggy Mountain Boys.

In recent years, Billy has carried his banjo into more jam-oriented groups such as Acoustic Forum from New York and New England’s Max Creek. He toured extensively and recorded with Hypnotic Clambake and The Larry Keel Experience. Billy has appeared on many shows with Leftover Salmon, and he was also a featured guest on a handful of String Cheese Incident shows and one of their recent albums “Carnival 99.” Billy also played with the seasonal Big Daddy Bluegrass Band with Steve McMurray, Curtis Burch and Larry Keel.

For more information about Billy Constable and for updates on his medical situation, please visit: www.billyconstable.co m and the FaceBook Event.

If people would prefer to mail a donation, please mail to:
Dave Ruch
155 St James Place
Buffalo NY 14222
dave@daveruch.com
716-884-6855

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MEET THE PERFORMERS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Big Daddy Bluegrass Band- The Big Daddy Bluegrass Band rides again! It has been five long years since the BDBB has taken the stage. They make their return on February 11th at the Visulite Theater in Charlotte, NC, for the debut of the new lineup which features some of the premier acoustic musicians working today. Steve “Big Daddy” McMurry, front man and founding member of Acoustic Syndicate, returns to the world of bluegrass music with a formidable arsenal of hot, young pickers. Jason Flournoy, formerly of Larry Keel & Natural Bridge / Shanti Groove, is highly respected in all genres of music across the nation. Jay Sanders is the long time bass man for Acoustic Syndicate and former with Donna The Buffalo. He is one of the hardest working and most exciting upright bass men on the East coast. Producer, engineer and dobro virtuoso, Billy Cardine, formerly of The Biscuit Burners, is one of Jerry Douglass’ favorite new dobro men. He has shared the stage with Edgar Meyer at Carnegie Hall and his recordings are featured on the BBC, PBS and the History Channel. Robert Greer, front man of Asheville bluegrass band Town Mountain, will also be joining the band adding harmonizing vocals, guitar, and his charismatic stage presenc

Asheville Bluegrass Collective- The Asheville Bluegrass Collective is a super-group of Asheville’s finest bluegrass musicians. The pickers include: Jon Stickley and Robert Greer (Town Mountain), Mark Schimick (Larry Keel and Natural Bridge), Charles Humphrey (Steep Canyon Rangers), Jason Flournoy, and many more special guests! Look out for some solid Asheville style Bluegrass!

Jason Burleson – The original banjo player with Blue Highway, Jason is a native of Newland, North Carolina. A talented multi-instrumentalist, he brings all-around musicianship to the group, not the least of which is his distinctive, rock-solid banjo style. Writing for the Memphis Area Bluegrass Association,Betty Westmoreland observed about Jason and his habit of saying very little onstage: “His banjo does the talking, as is true of most superb performers. From Newland, NC, in Avery County, Burleson is part of that fine crop of North Carolina banjo players. There must be something about the air, or water, or the soil in that part of the country—so many fine banjo players seem to come out of those hills.”

Jason’s instrumental compositions form an integral part of the Blue Highway repertoire, including “The North Cove” ( Through the Window of a Train), hailed by one critic as “a burning instrumental with a sinuous melody” that offers “more to chew on than just the whiz-bang pyrotechnics of many modern bluegrass instrumentals” (Smoky Mountain News). Jason also anchors the group’s quartets with his bass vocals. A jazz devotee, Jason’s talent hasn’t been fully revealed yet to the bluegrass community and gives Blue Highway unlimited options for the future.

Jason will be leading a virtuosic group of bluegrass musicians featuring everyone’s favorite bluegrass buddy, David Via.

David Via’s songs come from being raised and living up in the Blue Ridge mountains of Patrick County, Virginia. Via (as most folks call him – that’s pronounced Vi and rhymes with sky) is a well-known figure in bluegrass/newgrass circles with twenty-some odd years of singing and songwriting.

Via first performed Americana/Bluegrass with The Bluegrass Buddies with Alan Bibey and Ronnie Bowman. Over the years, Via has played in a lot of lineups and with a lot of great pickers: the newgrass In Sync – Jody King, James Donchez, Kim Gardiner, and Alan Purdue, the Dan River Revue – Wyatt Rice, Tommy Morse, Tim Jefferson, and Pete Ross. Via has joined the stage with Vassar Clemmens, Sammy Shelor, Ronnie Bowman, Tony Rice, and John Cowan. He currently teams up with two-time grammy winner Curtis Burch to perform more intimate shows and highlights his original material with award-winning musician friends who spin David Via & Corn Tornado.

Nikki Talley- Hardworking, energetic, mountain girl with a big voice…these could all describe Nikki Talley. Raised in North Carolina and hailing from Asheville, it’s only fitting that her music is as eclectic as the state that boasts the mountains and the sea. Trying to pin down Nikki’s style, critics and reviewers alike have compared her to an early Liz Phair and Gillian Welch, but to leave the comparisons there would be doing a disservice to her fiery stage performance, hauntingly seductive and raw gritty lyrics, lifted by a voice that harkens back to the Appalachian roots from which she was born, and shores up on the edges of contemporary southern rock, country, blues, and jazz that has her audiences stomping and clapping for more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Show Details at a Glance:
Benefit for Billy Constable
Sunday, December 11, 2011
The Grey Eagle
185 Clingman Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 232-5800
www.thegreyeagle.com

$10 Suggested donation

Bands: Big Daddy Bluegrass Band, Asheville Blue Grass Collective (featuring: members of Steep Canyon Rangers, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge and Town Mountain), Jason Burleson and the Blue Grass Buddies, and Nikki Talley.

The doors open at 6pm silent auction will close at 9pm.

Dreamspider Erin’s Lingua Musica Video Interview with Danny Barnes

dreamspider — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:38:24 +0000

Dreamspider Erin interviews Danny Barnes at Pisgah Brewing in Black Mountain, NC on October 6, 2011 for Lingua Musica. Danny talks about his new record, Rocket, his love of cassette tapes and vinyl albums. He also details his first project of 100 different CDs that were signed and numbered, how he met Larry and Jenny Keel and more. Tony Preston filmed and edited this video, which is copyright Luminescence, LLC 2011.

Charlottesville, Virginia – The Festy Presents at The Southern: Larry Keel and Natural Bridge with The Founding Fathers!

dreamspider — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:48:11 +0000

Introducing “The Festy Presents!”

In response to amazing feedback from the first two years of The Festy Experience, the talent, party, vibe, and hospitality of The Festy Experience will be brought to you throughout the year in the Charlottesville area. The Festy Presents will feature artists who have performed at The Festy as well as artists you can anticipate for The Festy 3 (October 5-7, 2012)

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On Saturday, December 3rd, The Festy Presents brings two-year veterans of The Festy, Larry Keel and Natural Bridge to The Southern along with The Founding Fathers (featuring Chris Pandolfi and Andy Falco of The Infamous Stringdusters). The night will feature draft beer from Devils Backbone Brewing Company and ALL advance ticket purchasers will be entered to win a pair of ticket to New Years Eve at The Jefferson Theater with The Infamous Stringdusters or a Festy merchandise package.
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Original, and from the soul, Larry Keel and Natural Bridge joyfully ride the changing tides of traditional bluegrass, country, jam rock, roots reggae, and even the currently emerging indie-alt scene always honoring the pioneers that introduced Bluegrass and Mountain Music into popular culture. Larry Keel is an award-winning Acoustic Americana flatpicking guitarist, well known for his entirely unique song-writing, gravelly voice and lightning fast licks and is “consistently touted as the hottest, most provocative and most entertaining bluegrass (artist) of this decade.” Joining the award-winning Flatpickin legend to make up Natural Bridge are the vastly talented Mark Schimick on mandolin and vocals, Larry’s life-long picker pal (and fishing phenom) Will Lee on soulful, blues-grass style 5-string banjo and penetrating lead vocals, and wife Jenny Keel with her impeccable timing and solid, yet imaginative bass lines as well as tenor vocal harmonies.

Show details at a glance:
The Festy Presents:
Larry Keel & Natural Bridge
The Founding Fathers
Saturday December 3, 2011

Doors at 7:30pm
$12 in advance/$15 day of show
Limited Seating Available
Advance tickets are available for pickup at The Southern, Rapture, and Devils Backbone Brewing Company

Or online at:
www.thesoutherncville.com
www.thefesty.com
www.thefestypresentslarrykeel-larrykeel.eventbrite.com

Message from the Keels: Recaps From The Festy & Harvest Fest as well as Bass and Grass News!

dreamspider — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:03:31 +0000

Here’s a fun message from Larry and Jenny Keel:

It’s been an absolutely beautiful and magical fall festival season for the Keel crew, rolling around America’s hills and dales and doing our thang!

The Festy in Roseland, VA was an epic weekend of ideal festivating! Hosted by the wildly talented Infamous Stringdusters, this event represents all the best best elements of a great and inspiring music festival- loved all the collaborations the jams and pickin around the campfire were wide open and memorable, to say the least (larry’s guitar head stock smells like barbecue now! it’s got some awesome mojo in it forever more!) .. a stage highlight was seeing that nuclear jam during the Toubab Krew set, when Larry and members of the String Dusters got up with em and blew the roof off the place.. our new favorite version of ‘Cluck Ol Hen’!

Then we bolted across the middle of the country and headed over to Yonder Mountain String Band’s Harvest Fest, in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.. spectacular autumn scenery, awesome property there at Mulberry Mountain- and a perfect music festival, complete with amazing stage acts, killer art and vending everywhere, and lots of spontaneous pickin jams among the world class artists- Larry and Will Lee, Scott Law and Darol Anger spent a whole late afternoon jammin away behind the main stage… late night picks included Keel, Mark Schimick, Will Lee, Drew Emmitt, Bill Nershi, Andy Thorn, gals and guys from Elephant Revival and Railroad Earth! all crammed into an RV ! super fun- look out for flipped out video on all that- coming soon! Stage highlights included Larry and Adam Aijala’s guitar duo set, with special guest Darol Anger, our Keel and Natural Bridge set, with a grand finale including almost all of the Greensky Bluegrass dudes, and then a wonderfully deep and spiritual set by Peter Rowan, on his own- he got Larry up to do some tunes with just the 2 of them.. on their guitars- Pete said he wanted to test drive a new tune he had just written that morning, and he wanted Larry and he to explore it together, on the spot.. it was awesome- look out for footage on that soon too!

And now! Stokin the home fires back in VA (well, getting the wood ready for the winter, more like it!), and preparing for our next adventure! Bass and Grass down on our favorite lake in the South: Goose Lake, near Perry GA.. join us and fishin/pickin/partyin instructors Jeff Mosier, David Blackmon, Steve McMurry and Gove Scrivenor as we dig in for a weekend of country style resort music and nature retreat together ! no need to know how to play an instrument- you just gotta know how to smile! bring it on, Oct 27-30!

Larry Keel Tour Dates:

Fishin and Pickin
Larry Keel, Jenny Keel, Mark Schimick, Will Lee
10/27-30/11 BASS and GRASS 4 Green Bell Bed and Barn Perry, GA

Larry Keel and Natural Bridge
10/16/11 LKNB HARVEST MUSIC FESTIVAL Ozark, AR
11/03/11 LKNB Boone Saloon Boone, NC
11/05/11 LKNB Private Eastern, NC
11/10/11 Eric Anderson’s Birthday Bash O’Neill’s Pub Lexington, KY
11/11/11 LKNB 123 Pleasant Street Morgantown, WV
11/12/11 LKNB Coffeepot Roanoke, VA
11/18/11 LKNB Gottrocks Greenville, SC
11/19/11 LKNB Private Somewhere, GA
12/09/11 LKNB Legal Grounds Rutherfordton, NC
12/10/11 LKNB Pour House Charleston, SC
02/04/12 LKNB Shepherdstown Opera House Shepherdstown, WV

Keel Brothers
Larry Keel – Guitar and vocals Gary Keel – Guitar and vocals
11/25/11 Larry & Gary Keel Bulls and Bears Pub Hagerstown, MD
11/26/11 Larry & Gary Keel Richardsville Firehall Richardsville, VA

Keller and the Keels
Keller Williams – Guitar and vocals Larry Keel – Guitar and vocals Jenny Keel – Bass and Harmonies
12/31/11 Keller and the Keels Brooklyn Performing Arts Center Wilmington, NC
01/09/12 Keller and the Keels JAM CRUISE 10 Ft. Lauderdale, FL