My band 3 Ravens has just released an album with author Jane Yolen, called The Infinite Dark, centered around Jane’s poetry. I’ve been setting Jane’s poems to music since the 1980’s when I first read her poem “Ballad of the White Seal Maid” and heard the melody clearly in my head. This project, something very new for me, incorporates some of my earlier settings plus two more set specifically for The Infinite Dark. Jane recites several of her poems with guitarist Max Cohen accompanying and weaving them seamlessly among the songs. 3rd Raven Donna Hébert adds fiddle, we all sing, and she and Max have each set an additional poem of Jane’s to music. We add in some traditional tunes, and 2 of Max’s original songs that fit thematically. Several of the tracks stand well alone, but the beauty of The Infinite Dark is in the spell it casts in music and story, from start to finish.
We just got this lovely feedback from one of the radio programmers we sent it to: “I’m really really enjoying it! I love great spoken word, and the blend of spoken word and music is absolutely fabulous. I’m sitting here with goosebumps!” – Jan Hall, Folk Roots Radio, Ontario.
Folk Alliance International Conference 2019 – Discount for Local 1000 Members