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

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

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Announcing Larry Keel Winter and Spring Tour dates as of 1/5/2011

Announcing Larry Keel Winter and Spring Tour dates as of 1/5/2011

Flatpickin Guitar Master Larry Keel has been busy pickin and fishin all around this past year and has a ton or surprises in store for the New Year, so stay tuned!

“Keel has had a heck of a year dropping a new CD, “Thief,” with long-time buddy Keller Williams in the spring, and then touring all over the country at some of the country’s biggest festivals with Larry Keel and Natural Bridge, Keller and the Keels, Keel and Adam Aijala, Jeff Austin and The Keels, Magraw Gap, and other interesting collaborations. ” ~Dave Lavendar

Larry Keel’s dazzling guitar skills and gruff, baritone vocals, wife Jenny’s granite-firm bass guitar work and the support of top-shelf backing players. . . Good folks, amazing roots music. ~ Tad Dickens

Look for more in 2011.  The Keels tour dates as of 1/5/2011 are posted below.

Larry Keel has a fantastic 2010!

Keller & the Keels ~ Thief is #37 ~  WNCW Top 100
Keller & the Keels ~ Thief is #86 ~ Americana Music Association Top 100
Keller & the Keels ~ Thief is #6 ~ Jambands Online Top 10

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“Keller and the Keels proved that teaming the creativity of Keller Williams and the musical prowess of Larry and Jenny Keel makes for some fine magic in ‘Thief,‘ an album that covers everyone from the Grateful Dead to the Butthole Surfers.” Best in Music 2010: The Corner News: Rock/Jam/Bluegrass By Wildman Steve
—————————————————————————————————
Listed #4 live music event in Boone NC!
Larry Keel & Adam Aijala ~ “When flatpicking virtuoso Larry Keel teamed with Yonder Mountain String Band guitarist Adam Aijala, there was no doubt that strings would fly. The duo performed early 2010 at Boone Saloon, seeming to defy the laws of physics with their high-energy, expert picking (accompanied by plenty of grinning). Meanwhile, Keel’s wife and bassist, Jenny, mingled with the crowd, making good on the Keels’ grounded and friendly reputation.”
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Larry Keel Music Tour Dates

Larry Keel and Natural Bridge

Larry Keel – Guitar and Vocals Jenny Keel – Bass and Harmonies Mark Schimick – Mandolin and Vocals

02/03/11	LKNB	Pisgah Brewing Company	Black Mountain, NC
02/04/11	LKNB	Clementine Cafe	Harrisonburg, VA
02/05/11	LKNB	The Otter House	Fredericksburg, VA
02/10/11	LKNB	Gerstles Place	Louisville, KY
02/12/11	LKNB	Spring Street Music Hall	Johnson City, TN
02/18/11	LKNB	Mountain State Brewing Company	Thomas, WV
02/19/11	LKNB	Dantes Bar	Frostburg, MD
03/24/11	LKNB	SUWANNEE SPRINGFEST	Live Oak, FL
03/25/11	LKNB	SUWANNEE SPRINGFEST	Live Oak, FL
03/26/11	LKNB	Pour House	Charleston, SC
06/03/11	LKNB	John Hartford Memorial Festival	Bean Blossom, IN
06/04/11	LKNB	SMILE FEST 2011	Pinnacle, NC
06/05/11	LKNB	SMILE FEST 2011	Pinnacle, NC
06/11/11	LKNB	Bill Monroe Bluegrass Hall Of Fame And Uncle Pen Days	Bean Blossom, IN
07/30/11	LKNB	FLOYD FEST	FLOYD, VA
07/31/11	LKNB	FLOYD FEST	FLOYD, VA

Keller and the Keels

Keller Williams – Guitar and vocals Larry Keel – Guitar and vocals Jenny Keel – Bass and Harmonies

01/13/11	Keller & the Keels	VILAR CENTER FOR THE ARTS	BEAVER CREEK, CO
01/14/11	Keller & the Keels	SHERATON BALLROOM	STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO
01/15/11	Keller & the Keels	AGGIE THEATRE	Fort Collins, CO
01/16/11	Keller & the Keels	Boulder Theater	BOULDER, CO

Larry Keel – Guitar and Vocals

01/21/11

Steep Canyon Rangers w/ Larry Keel

The Orange Peel

Asheville, NC

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Archive: In depth interview with Larry Keel by Awaiting the Flood

Here’s a great Q & A with Larry Keel in Awaiting the Flood that was posted over the holidays.

(Way More Than) 12 Questions with Larry Keel

By Lindsey Grossman in Awaiting the Flood

Alt-grass legend and flatpicking guitar genius Larry Keel has been a busy guy this year. Keel launched a new website, Fishin’ and Pickin’, as well as a facelift of LarryKeel.com, complete with new music releases and daily fishing reports.

Keel played a full summer schedule, hitting the biggest and best festivals and events across America, performing as Larry Keel and Natural Bridge, Keller and the Keels, Keel and Adam Aijala, Jeff Austin and The Keels, Magraw Gap, and other interesting and irresistible collaborations.

We caught up with the legendary Keel via email during his tour right before the holidays to talk about life on the road with his fabulous wife, collaborating with Keller, and of course, ATF’s infamous 12 questions.

How would you describe your brand of bluegrass?
Original, and from the soul.

Old and young alike flock to your shows. How do you account for such an eclectic base of both traditional and progressive bluegrass fans?
Must be because our music has soul and creates happiness… that’s our goal anyway.

We see you have some tour dates scheduled with your brother. How does it feel to share the stage with the guy who gave you your first guitar and taught you how to play?
Playing with Gary is always a true honor, and it’s always so REAL… it’s the best.

What’s it like to tour with your wife (who plays a mean upright base, by the way)? Any secrets to having a happy marriage on the road?
We always knew from the git-go that we wanted to work together, whatever the work was gonna end up being. It’s a blessing to be able to play music together, travel everywhere together. No secret to pass on to you about it all, we just want to enjoy life.

Your latest collaboration with Keller Williams, “Thief,” came out earlier this year with quite the proverbial grab bag of cover songs. How did you decide which songs to cover?
That was all Keller’s doing. We just go in there after a bit of rehearsal and hangin’ out together, and then we record what he’s arranged for us. We trust him entirely to make awesome choices… he never disappoints.

We love your beard! How long have you had it? Have you ever been tempted to shave it off?
I’ve had a full beard since I was 16, but I’ve shaved it many times, had all kinds of looks. But the beard is pretty much a trademark.

And the Infamous 12 Questions:

1. What’s for supper?
This week we’ve had large mouth bass that I caught, and a deer roast that my buddy Will Lee shared with us (plenty more of both in the freezer) along with lots of my mom’s garden vegetables and herbs from this year’s canning and freezing.

2. List five items currently in your refrigerator (or if you’re on the road: cooler, glove compartment, backpack, suitcase).
Guitar strings, sunglasses, coffee, nutritional yeast and Tums.

3. Fitzgerald or Hemingway?
Hemingway.

4. What are you listening to and reading these days?
Danny Barnes and the local paper.

. . . Read Questions 5-11 at the original post . . .

12. What’s next for Larry Keel?
Tons of surprises.

READ THE ORIGINAL POST HERE: http://awaitingtheflood.com/q-and-a-with-larry-keel/

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Archive: Larry Keel: A Friday night bluegrass blast at the V-Club in Huntington

Here’s fun blurb about Larry Keel & Natural Bridge’s upcoming show at the V-Cub this Friday!

by DAVE LAVENDER, The Herald-Dispatch

A Friday night bluegrass blast

Burn away winter’s frost with the red-hot picking of Virginia flat-picker Larry Keel and his band Natural Bridge, who are blowing into the V Club, 741 6th Ave., Huntington at 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10.

Keel has had a heck of a year dropping a new CD, “Thief,” with long-time buddy Keller Williams in the spring, and then touring all over the country at some of the country’s biggest festivals with Larry Keel and Natural Bridge, Keller and the Keels, Keel and Adam Aijala, Jeff Austin and The Keels, Magraw Gap, and other interesting collaborations.

Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Go online atwww.vclublive.com/tickets.php for tickets or call 304-781-0680. Read an interview with the great bearded guitarist in Thursday’s Herald-Dispatch Lifesection.

READ THE ORIGINAL POST HERE:http://www.herald-dispatch.com/entertainment/x885909916/Smorgasbord-of-music-on-tap-for-Tri-State

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Archive: An interview with Larry Keel by Music Marauders

by Justin Picard

published: Monday, May 24, 2010

www.musicmarauders.com (You can read the full interview at the link)

As the release of the new album “Thief” by Keller and the Keels approached, I had the pleasure of speaking with guitar slinger Larry Keel. Leading up to it, I was really excited about this interview as I am a big fan of Larry’s music.

…

J-man: So, Growing up and what led you to mountain music?

Larry: When I was growing up, my father was a banjo player and my brother is a guitar player. We always had friends playing music around us. They came from the mountains of southwest Virginia, so they sort of brought it to the Northern Virginia area with them.

J-man: How do you approach your shows night after night?

Larry: I approach them as, I want to give the crowd the very best of me that I can give them. And that I arrange my sets so that it’s the absolute funnest time that can be had that night.

J-man: Right on. How does it feel when a bluegrass icon like Del McCoury takes and covers one of your songs, also featuring it on one of his albums “The Company We Keep“?

Larry: Oh, it’s totally amazing. It’s like a dream come true. It really is. They are so good at what they do, it’s just nice to hear my idea come to such fruition.

J-man: You’ve had a chance to play with them several times. What’s that like?

Larry: Yeah, we’re really good friends. We’ve been running into each other for many years. I guess twenty years or more. I love playing with him. I think they’re the greatest bluegrass band in the world today.

J-man: I agree… I’m a huge fan.

Larry: (Laughs) Me too.

J-man: (Laughs) When I listened to the new album “Thief” it has an almost sitting around the campfire feel to it…

Larry: Yeah, for the feel; we wanted it to feel real natural. It’s a lot of Keller’s ideas. He has boundless ideas of songs to play. Whether I know them or not, I’ll learn them and we rehearse them and go out and play them. It seems like everybody else knows them (Laughs).

J-man: (Laughs)How did you get involved with Keller Williams and what are your thoughts on what he does musically?

Larry: Oh, man. How did I get involved with Keller? I think it was a while back… I’d say almost twenty years. We were playing a lot of the same clubs, around the Fredericksburg area. I forget what his band was called. I think it was the All Natural Band. We just liked what he did, the band I was in. We hit it off right away, pretty much and just began playing music all over the country together in different places. I’ll tell you; he’s one of the most creative people that I’ve met… He really is.

J-man: I have to say, of all of the Keller projects/bands; the project he does with you guys is by far my favorite.

Larry: Well thank you, thank you. We just really get along great and we hope that translates to the music.

J-man: I think it does.

Larry: Wonderful.

J-man: The Riverboat Record Release Party, sounds like a pretty unique happening. What prompted that event and what are your thoughts on releasing the new album to one hundred diehard fans, on a boat?

Larry: Well it is a totally unique.. I’ll say “show”, for a lack of a better word at that point. It came about because Keller lives on or near the Rappahannock River and he sees that riverboat going up and down. He and his team worked it out with the coast guard and everybody to where we could have a hundred people on there. I feel it’s a really excellent way to release the cd. It’s special, it’s very special.

…

J-man: … What are you thoughts on Jamgrass music and what it provides or takes away from traditional bluegrass music?

Larry: Jamgrass music, it seems; sort of exploded out of the Colorado area. With Leftover Salmon, and later; Yonder Mountain… I guess you could put String Cheese in that area, but they’re not grassy.

J-man: Right.

Larry: I feel it’s sort of the western take on bluegrass music. Coming from a younger audience and bluegrass music sort of started from all of the Irish music and a lot of swing and blues. It’s a big hodge-podge of music that created bluegrass and it seemed like it was launched and founded in the Blue Ridge Mountains out here. A lot of great players came from southwest Virginia; Ralph Stanley and Don Reno and Kentucky with Bill Monroe of course.

I see Jamgrass as a young persons take on bluegrass. Where bluegrass, was and sort of still is liked by an older generation. It’s good in a way, because that’s continuing on, preserving bluegrass. Jamgrass is helping to preserve bluegrass.

J-man: I agree with that. It’s not very typical to hear folks say that. A lot of bluegrass musicians have come to shun jamgrass music.

Larry: Yeah, I know… and I don’t feel that should be done. If someone is really putting their heart and energy into the music, how can you judge them?

J-man: Right. Speaking of jamgrass, you have a project with Adam Aijala from Yonder. Can you talk about how your project with Adam came about and the full sound that the two of you create?

Larry: I guess it was probably ten years ago, I was doing a big run of shows with Yonder Mountain String Band and I was sort of the supporting act, doing a solo guitar act. At the end of my sets, Adam would come up and play two or three guitar tunes with me, before they came on. So it was a special sort of thing.

We, throughout the years we honed it in to playing some music that we want to play. Adam has such a diverse repertoire. I mean he listens to punk music, and heavy metal… All kinds of different influences. He’ll bring a song to the table that you wouldn’t figure would be a song that would sound good with two guitars. But, by the time we work it out and get our own feel on it, it’s cool stuff and I think, there again; that’s the kind of stuff that turns the heads of a lot of young people towards bluegrass. Because it’s something they know, or like. Like I said, I don’t know a lot of these songs. I had sort of a strict bluegrass raisin’ you know? It’s interesting for me to learn all of this diverse material and it’s a royal blast.

J-man: Additionally, your playing translates well to that sort of style. The full sound being created by the two guitars, immediately draws folks attention.

Larry: Well, thank you. He is an incredible player (Laughs) and every time I pick with him it seems like he’s gone steps and steps beyond what he was the last time; and that was incredible, so…

J-man: Yeah, absolutely. It must be a really special thing, playing and sharing the music you love with your wife, Jenny. Can you talk about what playing music with her means to you?

Larry: Yeah, you know; it really is special. We decided long ago that we wanted to melt our career together to where we could be together all of the time, because that’s what we wanted. We have a happy time… I can say we never fight or any of that, but you know how that goes… That would only be good press (Laughs).

J-man: (Laughs)

Larry: It’s a great time and it’s awesome having someone on the same page.

J-man: The year 2009 hits and I see your music was featured in a documentary film about promoting environmental protection in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. As well, you hosted a “Bass & Grass” fishing technique camp in southern Georgia, also hosting a camp in Ohio at Jorma’s guitar camp. What prompted your directional and conscious shift towards other means of sharing music?

Larry: You know… I’m not the type that just wants to have an extremely laid out perfect course for myself. I like to keep all of my avenues open, just seein’ what’s out there because it’s so enriching when you actually open you eyes and see what’s going on. A lot of the teaching events are so worth while. It is, it’s like giving back in a way, but it gives back to me to be able to see someone getting better at being a musician and finding happiness in that. Or getting out and forgetting about their troubles for a bit and grabbing a fishing pole. Or like you said with the mountaintop removal… that’s just, in my opinion; a heinous crime. If I can let people know about it any way I can, I’ll do so.

…

J-man: (Laughs) … But what kind of strings are you using, Larry?

Larry: I use D’Addario Strings…

…

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE: http://www.musicmarauders.com/2010/05/interview-larry-keel.html

www.larrykeel.com

Rex Thomson of MusicMarauders Review of “Thief”.

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Larry Keel & Adam Aijala Videos from SouthEast Tour

Check out some great video footage from the recent SouthEast tour with Larry Keel and Adam Aijala

Larry Keel & Adam Aijala, from Yonder Mountain String Band, perform a duo acoustic show at the Shepherdstown Opera House in Shepherdstown, WV on 5/5/10.

This segment includes:
Intro by Bob Keel
Cattle In The Cane

djones2125

Larry Keel & Adam Aijala, from Yonder Mountain String Band, perform a duo acoustic show at the Shepherdstown Opera House in Shepherdstown, WV on 5/5/10.

This segment includes:
Pioneers
The Man That Only You Could Love

djones2125

Larry Keel & Adam Aijala, from Yonder Mountain String Band, perform a duo acoustic show at the Shepherdstown Opera House in Shepherdstown, WV on 5/5/10.

This segment includes:
Mountain Song

djones2125

Larry Keel & Adam Aijala, from Yonder Mountain String Band, perform a duo acoustic show at the Shepherdstown Opera House in Shepherdstown, WV on 5/5/10.

This segment includes:
Tear Stained Eye

djones2125

May 11, 2010 — Larry Keel & Adam Aijala, from Yonder Mountain String Band, perform a duo acoustic show at the Shepherdstown Opera House in Shepherdstown, WV on 5/5/10.

This segment includes:
Amos Moses

djones2125

Taken a show at Triad Stage in Greensboro, NC.

travisncs

Night out with Larry keel And Adam Aijala after a day of sells with the Down The Street Bead Show in Charleston South Carolina this past sunday……..This is the first of two encores for the night……..

johnwroberts1972

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Larry Keel: Progressive Bluegrass: LK teams up with Adam Aijala for a run of shows

Larry Keel: Progressive Bluegrass

By Tricia Lynn Strader,  Shepherdstown, WV

Flatpicking guitar virtuoso Larry Keel likes to mix up all kinds of musical styles in his pursuit of progressive Bluegrass. He blends Bluegrass, Jimmie Hendrix or Jerry Garcia, jazz, classical, or George Jones into his versions of popular songs or original tunes. He and Adam Aijala from Colorado’s Yonder Mountain String Band plan to tear it up Wednesday night at Shepherdstown Opera House in a highly energetic acoustic performance—their only one in the region this year.

Keel and Aijala are on a tour of shows in the South East. Last year, their wild riffs and antics in their live shows were very popular out West

Photo by Bright Life Photography

Since he was a boy, Keel has played guitar and performed in various bands around the world. He’s worked with legends such as Tony Rice, Sam Bush, Vassar Clements, Jim Lauderdale, Peter Rowan, and Mark Vann to name a few.

At 18, he began a professional musical career by working for the Disneyland theme park in Tokyo, Japan. But that came after growing up in a musical family. “My father played banjo and guitar,” he says. “He taught my older brother Gary how to play. They were always playing even though they never had a touring band. Every weekend they’d play and have musician friends over.”

At eight years old, his brother bought him a guitar. “He saw I was itching to play. Ever since he bought it for me, I never laid it down. The guitar is always part of me.”

When he was younger, he listened to Flatts and Scruggs, Bill Monroe, and old country like Webb Pierce or George Jones. He says as a teen, he discovered Hendrix, Garcia, and all kinds of music.

“I love it all – bluegrass, country, jazz, reggae, classical. The other styles inspired me to learn different songs I liked.”

Keel started playing in different semi-professional situations like fiddlers conventions or community events. He paid his dues early, as a young player and teen. Then, lady luck began to strike.

“A friend of mine in Florida was playing and told me about an ad for musicians with Disneyland. He talked me into coming down to audition. We found a bass player, and formed a trio. After rehearsing for two weeks, we auditioned, and they gave us a deal with Disneyland in Tokyo.”

Larry and Jenny Keel. By James Mayfield.

He was 18. “It was an interesting learning situation. We played six half-hour shows six days a week for seven months. It really makes you get your chops down.”

Keel met Mark Vann and John Fowler in Fauquier County, VA., and started to explore progressive string music in their band, “Farmer’s Trust.”

They played the festival circuit in Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Keel and friend Will Lee, son of Ricky Lee from Ralph Stanley’s band, formed Magraw Gap.

Keel says at that point, he and the musicians hadn’t quit their day jobs.

Mark Vann moved to Telluride, Colorado to join the ultra progressive electric Bluegrass band Leftover Salmon. He encouraged Keel to try playing at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Keel entered and won first place in the guitar competition.

Magraw Gap did their first studio recording. The band won the 1995 band competition at Telluride.

“Telluride’s a great stepping stone, a good place for a musician to launch a career. There’s a lot of prestige with it. There are some high end musicians there, too. I was proud to be part of it.”

He was playing among the likes of John Hartford, Sam Bush (post-New Grass Revival) and Bill Monroe at Telluride to name a few.

Other musicians of note began using Keel or his band as supporting musicians. He formed The Larry Keel Experience in 2000 with fellow musicians Will Lee and Jason Krekel. He says the name came from the various incarnations of the band, sometimes a trio, foursome, or whatever. To date, he has recorded 10 of his own self-produced projects, most recently two with his ensemble Natural Bridge which includes wife Jenny. He has collaborated on several projects with Keller Williams’ Keller and the Keels and collections of guitar-oriented projects released by Flatpicking Guitar Magazine. Del McCoury and Acoustic Syndicate have recorded his original material. His “Mountain Song” was on Del McCoury Band’s 2005 Grammy-winning The Company We Keep. He was part of a documentary in 2004 called “Larry Keel: Beautiful Thing.” In 2004, he and his brother Gary released “Keel Brothers.”

In his teaming for this tour with Adam Aijala, Keel says Aijala and his band Yonder Mountain come from a dissimilar background, one of punk, rock and metal. He says they play a popular tune to the younger crowd, then throw in a traditional Bluegrass tune, introducing a new generation to the genre.

“He grew up in Boston and takes a whole different approach to acoustic guitar. The last five or six years they’ve been opening the eyes of young people to their Bluegrass. The show is me and Adam on two guitars. We do original songs and some pretty diverse covers to keep it interesting. It’s very high energy. And we like audience participation.”

Keel says he plays everything and uses a Bluegrass band to do it. He says a song may have jazz or reggae mixed in it. He’s got a list of 1,000 ready tunes to pick from.

Show Information:
Larry Keel and Adam Aijala
Wednesday, May 5th
7:30 doors open; Performance 9 p.m.
Shepherdstown Opera House
131 W. German Street
Shepherdstown, WV
Tickets: $20. 304-876-3704

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Larry Keel and Adam Aijala (YMSB) enbark on their SouthEast tour

Larry Keel and Adam Aijala (YMSB) embark on their SouthEast tour today in Shepherdtown, VA; Thursday in Boone; Friday in Greensboro; Saturday in Atlanta; and Sunday in Charleston SC! Check out this inyterview with Larry and the Mountain Times in Boone before Thursday’s show at the Boone Saloon.

Keel & Aijala at Boone Saloon May 6

by Frank Ruggiero

Boone Mountain Times

As of late, Adam Aijala’s guitar playing has been off keel, and with a capital “K.”

The guitarist of bluegrass stalwarts Yonder Mountain String Band has been touring with flatpicking virtuoso Larry Keel, and the duo is bringing its class act to Boone on Thursday, May 6, at the Boone Saloon.

“It’s really interesting how we complement each other,” Keel said. “We like to work on our material, getting it down as soon as we can, but absolutely leaving tons of room for improvisation in every song. I really like to hear what comes out of (Aijala’s) head, and I can see he likes to hear what comes out of mine.”

Aijala agrees.

“I would definitely put Larry in the more aggressive style, while I’m more on the lighter side,” he said. “He’s got a right hand like a jackhammer, but style-wise, there’s some crossover for sure.”
And a complimentary crossover, at that. On their southeast tour, Keel and Aijala have been performing acoustically, playing each other’s own material, along with some choice covers.

“If I’m playing one of Adam’s original songs,” Keel said, “it brings me to play as good as I can play, as it seems like it is with him when he’s playing one of mine. It keeps us on our toes for sure.”

Keel promises some musical rarities, songs not typically heard with any of his other combinations, including Natural Bridge.

“Also expect a pretty wide mix of covers, from reggae to punk rock … all with an acoustic flare,” Aijala said. “It’s pretty diverse. We might even have different instruments this time around.”
But they’ll still have that same excitement, the kind ever so evident in musicians who clearly love their craft.

“He’s one of those musicians,” Aijala said. “In the same way that when I was a kid and would watch (Led Zeppelin’s) The Song Remains the Same or (Jimi Hendrix’s) Jimi Plays Monterey, playing with Larry makes me want to play that much more. He’s very contagious in that way.”

…
…

“We’ve got a vast repertoire,” Keel said. “We always try to mix it up every night and play something different for each crowd.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www2.mountaintimes.com/entertainment_focus/Keel_&_Aijala_at_Boone_Saloon_May_6_id_001246

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Archive: Interview with Larry Keel in Cincy Groove

Interview by Scott Preston

Cincy Groove Magazine February 15, 2010

http://www.cincygroove.com/?q=node/1800

Connecting traditional songs of yesterday with their own original and inventive sounds of today, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge create astonishingly powerful acoustic music rich in heritage, heart and hot licks! With a style that evokes both atomic rock energy and dynamic tonal purity, Keel and his ensemble are intent upon taking their instruments and their voices to their fullest potential for emotion and amazement. While paying respect to the legacy left by the forefathers of bluegrass, Keel bridges the gap between traditional and contemporary American Mountain Music. Larry Keel & Natural Bridge includes flatpicking guitar master Larry Keel (guitar, vocals), Jenny Keel (bass fiddle, vocals), Mark Schimick (mandolin, vocals), and, Jason Flournoy (banjo, vocals).

Larry Keel & Natural Bridge will also be sharing the stage with Cincinnati, OH’s own Rumpke Mountain Boys on 2/25/10 At Victorian Midnight Cafe in Columbus, OH and on 2/27/10 at Play By Play Cafe in Cincinnati, OH.

Cincy Groove: So I understand you are working on an album with Keller Williams?

Larry Keel: Yeah we just did some work in the studio about 2 weeks ago. Spent 2 days in the studio and got a lot done. I’m not sure of the exact release date, I’m waiting on Keller to make an announcement about that. It’s some really good stuff, it’s a continuation of Grass, but it’s what we are doing now. It’s really some high energy music.

Cincy Groove: How long have you known Keller?

Larry Keel: I met Keller about 1999. We were always playing the same clubs here in Virginia. We always ran into each other and had a great time playing music together. Just managed to stay in touch with each other, its a beautiful thing.

Cincy Groove: Who are some other people you have played with?

Larry Keel: Actually, just recently I played a bunch of shows in the Pacific Northwest with Adam Aijala from Yonder Mountain String Band. We had a great time and I just wanted to put it out there that there will be some East Coast shows coming up with Adam and myself. You can get a taste of it on Youtube, I believe there are a few videos up there from the west coast tour. The dates with Adam should be coming out in February.

Cincy Groove: I know you are proud of this, Tell me about the Fishin and Pickin website.

Larry Keel: Its something I have been wanting to do for a long time. Touring around being a musician I end up meeting a lot of fisherman and also a lot of great musicians who like to fish as well. So we decided to combine two things we really love playing music and fishing. We started this website and are offering advertisement to fisherman and at the same time putting out news about fishing and music. It also gives people who enjoy fishing and music to come together and talk about it. In the process of working on this project I meet a lot of people who organize fishing tournaments or just big events down on the river. They always need music at their events but can never get it worked out. The title “Fishin and Pickin” came from when I would be pickin and Jenny would ask me “What are you doing, thinking about fishing?”. I would say “I don’t don’t know sort of”. She said it should be picking first then fishing. In my mind I got my priorities straight, I named it Fishin and Pickin (laughing). We are always adding new material to the website and the new music I have coming out will be released the website as well.

Cincy Groove: I see that you have played Jorma’s Fur Peace Ranch here in southern Ohio. Did you have a good time?

Larry Keel: Absolutely, it was quite an honor, I got to play with Jorma and David Bromberg. It really was an amazing experience. Jorma is doing it his way and having a great time doing it. He is just a really nice guy.

Photo by Bright Life Photography

Cincy Groove: Has music always been something that you have wanted to make you main focus in your life?

Larry Keel: I have always wanted to pursue a music career. When I decided to make music my career focus, I had a friend in Orlando, FL give me a call. He said there is a want ad in the newspaper for musicians. It was for a gig playing music at the Tokyo Japan Disneyland. We went down and auditioned and they really liked what we were doing. So they sent us out to Tokyo Disneyland for 6 months. We played 6 days a week and about 7 half hour shows per day. We would play for a half hour and then be off for a half hour. I was playing most of the time, but I did get to see the country and the people were really wonderful. It was a culture shock, I was only 18 and hadn’t been out of the Blue Ridge Mountains up until going to Japan.

Cincy Groove: What was it like playing Telluride for the first time back in the early 1990’s?

Larry Keel: An amazing experience. I wasn’t much of a competitive player at that point, just did my own thing. But in 1993 I played in the guitar competition and ended up winning. A lot of good things happened from winning that and really helped launch my bluegrass career. When I first went out there it was under the advice of my good friend Mark Vann from Leftover Salmon, who has since passed, I miss him a lot. When I won the guitar contest I got to play up on stage so at that point I was really nervous. I had never played to a crowd of that size at that point in my career. I went back out to Telluride in 94 and 95. In 1995 I took my band out with me. In 95 I played in the guitar competition and won, which was a great honor once again. Then my mandolin player, Danny Nicely won 1st place in the mandolin contest. The guy that was playing banjo for us Will Lee, I believe won 2nd place in the banjo contest. Then the band as a whole won the band competition and had the honor of opening the festival with our own set. That was a great year for us and we felt a lot more confident in our playing at that stage in our career. We still love Colorado to this day and try to get out there at least once a year.

Cincy Groove: How did your NYE show go at the Grey Eagle? I heard it was quite a spectacular event.

Larry Keel: It was truly a wonderful time. Bawn in the Mash opened up and absolutely killed it, they did a great job. Dwayne Brooke then performed, he is a gypsy jazz style guitarist, had a great set and I also played some with him. My brother Gary Keel was tearing it up, he was really on fire that night. A lot of folks came out and it was a great time.

A blast from the past – here is a link to some photos I took of Larry & Jenny Keel, along with Mark Vann (Leftover Salmon) back on 1.19.2001 at Stanleys Pub in Cincinnati, OH

Larry Keel & Natural Bridge:
Larry Keel (Guitar)
Jenny Keel (Bass)
Mark Schimick (Mandolin)
Jason Flournoy (Banjo)

Tour Dates:

Feb 19 2010 Mountain State Brewing Company – Thomas, West Virginia
Feb 20 2010 123 Pleasant St. – Morgantown, West Virginia
Feb 25 2010 Victorian’s Midnight Cafe – Columbus, Ohio
Feb 26 2010 Rex Theatre – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Feb 27 2010 Play by Play Cafe – Cincinnati, Ohio w/ Rumpke Mountain Boys
Mar 5 2010 V Club – Huntington, West Virginia
Mar 6 2010 Dantes Bar – Frostburg, Maryland
Mar 14 2010 Elk River Inn and Restaurant at Snow Shoe – Slatyfork, West Virginia
Mar 17 2010 PJ Kelly’s – w/ Davisson Brothers Clarksburg, West Virginia
Mar 18 2010 The Double Door Inn – Charlotte, North Carolina
Mar 19 2010 New Earth Music Hall – Athens, Georgia
Mar 20 2010 Pour House – Charleston, South Carolina
Apr 2 2010 Pisgah Brewery – Black Mountain, North Carolina
Apr 3 2010 CHEROKEE FARMS – KEEL FAMILY FUNCTION w/ JOSH PHILLIPS FOLK FESTIVAL and COL. BR LaFayette, Georgia
Apr 10 2010 GREENFIELD LAKE AMPHITHEATRE – KELLER and the KEELS at Greenfield Lake Amphithea Wilmington, North Carolina
Apr 17 2010 Clementine – Harrisonburg, Virginia
Apr 30 2010 French Broad River Festival – Hot Springs, North Carolina
May 5 2010 SHEPHERDSTOWN OPERA HOUSE – Larry Keel & Adam Aijala (YMSB) Shepherdstown, West Virginia
May 29 2010 DEL FEST – Cumberland, Maryland

http://www.larrykeel.com/
http://www.fishinandpickin.com/

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Larry Keel & Adam Aijala (YMSB) tour the SouthEast this May!

Yonder Mountain String Band’s Adam Aijala is teaming up with fellow guitar virtuoso Larry Keel for a short run of acoustic shows in the Southeast. Get ready to watch these two bad-ass guitar players tear it up with their wild riffs and antics from their experiences picking and jammin’ together backstage, at festivals throughout the years, and their recent tour out West this past December.

Larry Keel is a world renowned, internationally touring, Mountain Music Troubadour. At 18, Keel ventured overseas to work at the Tokyo, Japan Disneyland, as a “Western Land” musician; playing 6 shows a day, 6 days a week for a solid year. Talk about getting your chops down! Early on, Larry established himself as a phenomenally talented flatpicking guitarist, winning top honors at guitar competitions across the country. Throughout his career, Keel has released 13 albums and is featured on 9 others.

While he honors the pioneers that introduced bluegrass and mountain music into popular culture, Keel allows his music to evolve and embrace sounds and styles that inspire him, all along the way. He has collaborated and shared the stage with many of his own legends including Tony Rice, Sam Bush, Vassar Clements, Curtis Burch, Peter Rowan, Darell Scott, Jim Lauderdale, Jack Lawrence, Mark Vann, Vince Herman, Mike Marshall, Darol Anger, Keller Williams, amongst others.

Keel has weathered 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. He is an ever evolving musical force that stands in ongoing defiance to all genre expectations. Don’t bother trying to pigeonhole the music of Larry Keel. He’s untamed and untamable.

When not performing with his MIGHTY ensemble, Natural Bridge, Larry collaborates regularly with powerhouse pickers in shows and events and instructional workshop situations across the country. Often, these music events coincide with another of Larry’s natural-born passions: FISHING. This year marks the beginning of his completely original recreational concept, FISHIN AND PICKIN, that serves as an on-line resource and networking hub in all things to do with fishing, the great outdoors, music, camping, enjoying life to the fullest!

Meanwhile, Adam Aijala was born in Worcester, Massachusetts and spent the majority of his childhood in the nearby town of Sterling. As a young teen, Adam loved skateboarding and listening to punk and hardcore music. He was exposed to such bands as Black Flag, the Dead Kennedys, and the Descendents.

In 1986, at age 13, Aijala began playing electric guitar and taking lessons. He learned power chords first, playing dozens of short punk tunes. In his early years of high school, he added metal bands like Metallica and Slayer to his repertoire. Shortly after, Adam’s musical tastes began to shift. He began listening to Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, and even the Grateful Dead. Desiring a new sound, Adam picked up his first acoustic guitar at age 17. He started listening to Bob Dylan and in college, Old and In The Way.

During his years at UMass Amherst, Adam played whenever he could as he studied Forestry. After graduation in 1995, and after a couple of major knee surgeries, he played several open mics around Worcester; strumming his originals like “Left Me In A Hole”, along with Dylan covers. He worked in the forestry field until 1997, when another knee injury forced him to rethink his career choice. It was at this point that Adam decided to pursue his career in music, moving to Nederland, Colorado. It was there where he met Jeff Austin, Ben Kaufman, and Dave Johnston…and the rest is YMSB!

Akin to Keel, Yonder Mountain String Band has always played music by its own set of rules. Bending bluegrass, rock, jam, and countless other influences that the band cites, Yonder has pioneered a sound of their own. With their traditional lineup of instruments, the band may look like a traditional bluegrass band at first glance but they’ve created their own music that transcends any genre. Dave Johnston points out “What could be more pure than making your own music.” Yonder’s sound cannot be classified purely as “bluegrass” or “string music” but rather it’s an original sound created from “looking at music from [their] own experiences and doing the best job possible.” The band continues to play by their own rules on their new record The Show.

“With me and Adam it’s just the guitars and doing our thing and doing some really cool freaky material and it is just so comfortable and that’s the way the music should be,” Keel said. “There shouldn’t be no hidden agenda just really soulful playing and writing and getting down to business. It is the most serious blessing of the whole thing. I grew up being so inspired by seeing and hearing all of these players like Sam Bush and Tony Rice, and even a lot of names you don’t hear or have never heard of, so it is like full circle for me to now get to stand in that circle with them and make music and trade riffs and feelings off of each other. It is the most amazing thing and I can’t believe it is happening sometimes.” ~ Dave Lavender, Herald Dispatch

For this tour with Keel and Aijala, expect more bending, twisting, and genre defying feats of guitar mastery and fiery vocals; rooted firmly in a tradition that is rich within both of their individual music!

West Coast Tour Samples:

Americana Roots posted an audio archive from their show at Mississippi Studios in Portland, Oregon: Set 1, Set 2

Check out some video archives from the West Coast tour:
Full show from the Tractor Tavern
“They”- Mississippi Studios
Instrumental- Mississippi Studios
Instrumental- Humbolt Brews
Burl Galloway song- Humbolt Brews

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