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Women of the World: Celtic I and II – (Putumayo) 1995 and 1997.

By Ellen Rawson

Interested in both traditional and contemporary Celtic by women, but not sure where to turn for recommendations?  Putumayo's two collections, Women of the World: Celtic I and II might be useful resources.  Both feature familiar and lesser-known names from the Celtic music scene.  Irish natives Maire Brennan (from Clannad),), Mary Black, Maura O'Connell, Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh (from Altan), along with Scot Karen Matheson (from Capercaillie) are probably the best known participants on the first CD.. Perhaps not as well known to American listeners are Irish performer Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill (possibly her siblings Triona and Micheal of the Bothy Band are better known), Channel Islander native Fiona Joyce, and Irish-American Nancy McCallion (of the Mollys), who round up the disc.

Only Matheson returns for the follow-up compilation. Her contribution, Murdo MacFarlane's moody "Mi Le M'Uilinn," is joined by contemporary and traditional pieces performed by artists from areas as diverse as the United States, Canada, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and even Germany.  Fiddler extraordinaire Natalie MacMaster, with vocalist Cookie Rankin (of the Rankins), on the traditional "The Drunken Piper" is followed by the traditional "Sovay," performed by Cristina Crawley from Belfast and Kerstein Blodig from Berlin.  This CD nicely demonstrates how Celtic music can take on different aspects. Representative songs include Eileen Ivers' almost jazzy fiddle interpretation of the traditional "The Rights of Man," Susan McKeown and the Chanting House's outstanding contemporary singer-songwriter meets traditional music approach to McKeown's composition "Jericho," Mary Jane Lamond's pop/traditional "Bog A' Lochain" featuring Lamond's Gaelic vocals, Marcy D'Arcy and the Prodigal Sons's slow yet moving "Black is the Colour," and Julie Murphy's Welsh vocals on "Cowboi."

Even Celtic music lovers might not take to every selection, but these CDs offer a diverse introduction to the numerous women performing Celtic music on both sides of the Atlantic.