With the fifth fully self-produced album “Journey” 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 Keel’s own compositions including 2 instrumentals, “Pontapees” and “Mark Vann’s Song” (the latter was co-written with one of Larry’s early mentors in progressive Bluegrass, banjo innovator Mark Vann of Leftover Salmon). In his original reggae piece “Just Having Fun” Keel stretches the acoustic boundaries of his 1936 Gibson L-00 guitar by adding effects that recall Les Paul’s 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 “Mother”, celebrating that great lady’s life story, and in his own romping tribute to the ways of the hills in “Mountain Song.” The ethereal, Oriental-sounding tune “Dreams” is directly inspired by the film of the same name, and represents Keel’s deep admiration for the work of Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa. Back on the mainland Keel pays homage to the timeless influence of George Jones’ country ballad style of songwriting with the song he wrote for his wife Jenny Keel (a.k.a. “Ange”). The album takes its very appropriate title from Keel’s centerpiece composition “Journey,” whose melody and message evoke a bittersweet affirmation of the ultimate voyage, life. The tracks on “Journey” not penned by Keel reflect the deep impact that Southern roots music has made on this Appalachian-born musician. Bill Monroe’s “Roanoke” (Keel plays mandolin on this raucous version), fiddler John Ashby’s “Broad Run Picnic”, the Traditional fiddle tune “Road to Columbus”, Blind Willie Johnson’s “God Don’t Never Change”, Alabama Funk Master Jerry Reed’s “Ko Ko Joe” and a version of Old Time “Hang Man” compliment Keel’s 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 “gravely” 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.