Celtic Women

Various Artists – Celtic Woman 4 (Valley Entertainment / Hearts of Space Records, 2010)

Bridget McMahon – Celtic Woman (Paradise Music, 2008)

There are several recordings out there that bear the name Celtic Woman. In this case Celtic Woman 4 is the fourth volume of a Celtic music series dedicated to female singers from Ireland, Scotland and England.

Celtic Woman 4 introduces an interesting mixture of well known names and singers that deserve more attention. Four of the best known singers featured are the legendary Karen Matheson, who normally sings in Scottish Gaelic and is the lead singer of the popular group Capercaillie; veteran Irish singer Dolores Keane, English folk diva Kate Rusby and the increasingly popular Scottish vocalist Julie Fowlis, who is releasing a new album in the next weeks titled  Uam. The rest of the artists featured are Scottish band Back To The Moon, Scottish singer Emily Smith, Irish singer Deirbhile ni Bhrolchain and Scottish singer Maeve Mackinnon.

The majority of the performers featured in Celtic Woman 4 are Scots. The languages used include English and Gaelic. The producer has chosen mostly ballads with modern arrangements. The piano appears frequently in many of the highly melodic pieces. Celtic Woman 4 is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the great female Celtic singers from northwestern Europe.

Bridget McMahon has a solo album titled  Celtic Woman. She was part of the music scene in Leicester (England) until she moved to Mayo (Ireland) a few years ago.  Celtic Woman combines radio friendly contemporary singer-songwriter ballads with rootsier material based on Irish and Breton traditional music. The best cut is the delightful fiddle-driven and foot stompin’ "Cúnla."

Buy the album:

• In North America: Celtic Woman 4 and Celtic Woman. Other recordings available: Celtic Woman 3, Celtic Woman, Vol. 2, Celtic Woman, Vol. 1
• In Europe: Celtic Woman 4 and Celtic Woman.