Audio/video of “The Infinite Dark” with Jane Yolen
They joined forces in 2016 to create a show with NY Times bestselling author Jane Yolen based on her otherworldly poetry. Now Max Cohen, Lui Collins and Donna Hébert perform as 3 ravens.
In addition to performing as a trio, they also look forward to more shows with the prolific author and poet. Yolen is equally enthusiastic:
There’s nothing more exciting for a poet than to hear her words in the mouths of musicians, winging into the ears of eager listeners. 3 ravens are magic and I am enchanted to be in their midst.”
Longtime friends and fans are also abuzz about the new collaboration. Hudson River Sampler DJ, Wanda Adams Fischer (WAMC – NPR Albany NY), got an advance listen to the CD and loved it:
Elegant, mystical, delicate tales told in imaginative ways. Every tune they spin turns to gold. Just gorgeous!”
The trio crafts an evening out of their originals, instrumentals and traditional songs, as well as Jane’s verses set to music. Harmonies blend three strong voices, paring down to just one when the story shifts shape. Donna’s fiddling morphs from light to dark, while Lui’s piano, banjo and ukulele converse fluently with Max’s guitar.
3 ravens offers a rich and joyful audience experience . . . and if the fiddle catches your feet, you might just find yourself dancing!
Lui Collins – luicollins at gmail.com • Max Cohen – guitarmax_99 at yahoo.com • Donna Hébert – donna at fiddlingdemystified.com
Reviews
Lui Collins: “a folksinger for our times” Boston Herald; “one of New England’s first and brightest stars,” Boston Globe. Guitarist Dave van Ronk called her “one of the best guitarist-arrangers I have heard in years.” And Canadian folk icon Stan Rogers quipped, “Lui sings my songs better than I do.”
Max Cohen also accompanies Priscilla Herdman, who says, “Max is one of those rare guitarists able to create an atmosphere that supports and cradles the voice with both tenderness and strength.” And poet and colleague Jane Yolen has full confidence in him: “We know we are in the best of hands when Max is in the band.”
Donna Hébert has been cited for “outstanding artistic achievement” by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. Dr. Alan Jabbour, Dir. (ret)., American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, calls her “An outstanding performer and world class teacher. I consider her at the forefront of the developing field of fiddle pedagogy.” Donna’s Fiddling Demystified for Strings is a “cornucopia of fiddling” (Darol Anger, Berklee professor) and “should be required reading for all string teachers.” (Strings Magazine).