Mist Covered Mountains – PR
PRESS RELEASE . . .
Mist Covered Mountains draws from Celtic and French-Canadian roots, creating vignettes of New England’s mill towns’ Irish and French communities at the height of the industrial revolution. Donna Hébert’s fierce fiddle rhythms and Max Cohen’s impeccable groove guitar link to create an orchestra of sound from a simple fiddle-guitar duet. Said Irish fiddle master Seamus Connolly at their recent Boston College concert, “Donna is a gem – one of the best, and her ‘Raven’s Wing’ she and Max have written is a brilliant tune!” Their amazing musical chemistry catches fire when Donna’s daughter, singer Molly Hebert-Wilson joins them. Jay Ungar said they were ”Really a treat – fabulous musicians with a wonderful way of playing together.”
Cited for ”Outstanding artistic achievement” by MA Governor Deval Patrick, fiddle master Donna Hébert is a state Artist’s Fellow in the Folk Arts with eight NEA-funded Master-Apprenticeship grants. Fiddle instructor at both Amherst and Smith Colleges in Western Mass., Donna also directs participatory youth performances with the Great Groove Band at Old Songs and Philadelphia Folk Festivals. Publisher of the Fiddling Demystified for Strings series, Donna directs Fiddling Demystified / Fiddle & Strings Summer Camp at Old Songs near Albany NY. She writes, records and performs with Max Cohen, Molly Hebert-Wilson and Groovemama.
Max Cohen’s natural humility hides a huge talent. Influenced by fingerstyle guitar icons Michael Hedges and Pierre Bensusan as well as the hot traditional musicians he plays with, Max fuses fingerstyle artistry with solid groove. Dar Williams calls him “an endearing and inspiring performer. I love Max!” A natural teacher and the ultimate accompanist, Max finds himself an essential member of several groups with fiddler Donna Hébert, Irish accordionist John Whelan, singer Priscilla Herdman and more. Max joins Groovemama at Old Songs and Philadelphia Folk Festivals to coach youth performances with the Great Groove Band and also teaches every summer at Old Songs Fiddle & Strings Camps in upstate NY.
Molly Hebert-Wilson graduated in Irish Studies and Musical Theater from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Bringing a decade of theater and singing experience to her performances, Molly’s songs in French, Irish Gaelic and English are a highlight of the group’s performances. A member of the NYU Irish Folk Group, she studied at Trinity College in Ireland and teaches Irish language to children in Brooklyn. Featured at the Old Songs Festival’s ‘Tree of Life’ Concerts from 2005-2008, Molly debuted with Mist Covered Mountains at the 2010 festival and grew up singing in French with her mother, Donna Hébert. Says film producer, actor and friend Mike Haley (whose credits include Angels in America, Charlie Wilson’s War, Closer), “I saw Molly Hebert-Wilson at the top of the musical ladder in 2008. Since then, she’s added more rungs than one can imagine!”
Occasionally joining the trio are fiddler Western Massachusetts fiddler Katherine First.
Programs offered:
This dynamic family trio brings genetically-matched voices, 3-part harmony, virtuoso fiddle-guitar duets and glorious guitar solos to their concerts.
School assemblies and classroom programs find the group teaching and demonstrating French-Canadian history and culture in New England. Optional potluck supper and Soirée where students perform with group. Donna is a Creative Teaching Partner, certified for folk programs in the Massachusetts schools. Molly graduated with an Irish Studies minor from NYU and sings in Irish, French and English. Max helps Donna coach and conduct the Great Groove Band at Old Songs and Philadelphia Folk Festivals every year and teaches at Old Songs Summer Camps.
Workshops: For schools, colleges and community groups, Donna teaches Fiddling Demystified for String Players and Improvisation as well as fiddle styles from Canada, Europe and the U.S., specializing in the French-Canadian fiddle music of Louis Beaudoin. Max Cohen teaches Celtic guitar accompaniment, DADGAD fingerstyle guitar and chord theory. Molly Hebert-Wilson teaches Irish Gaelic songs and Irish language.
Donna also teaches fiddling at Amherst and Smith Colleges. See Donna’s Fiddling Demystified channel on YouTube – for performances with our children’s groups at festivals.
