FAIRE CELTS - a collection of compelling contemporary Celtic divas. Connie Dover, Karen Matheson (Capercaillie), Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (Altan), Sinéad O'Connor, Kim Robertson, and many others lend their extraordinary voices to an album brimming with Celtic soul, beauty and the strength of a woman's voice.
Meet some of the Celtic women of song....
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh of Altan
Regarded as one of the finest exponents of the Donegal fiddle style, Mairéad was taught by her father Francie who in turn learned a lot of local tunes from his mother Roise. Mairéad was also taught by the renowned fiddle player, Dinny McLaughlin who was a frequent visitor to her home when she was a young girl. Mairéad's songs are collected and learned from family and neighbors. The Gaoth Dobhair Gaeltacht has a very strong singing tradition both in Irish and English, and it's from this rich source that she finds most of the material which she sings with Altan.
Connie Dover
Connie heard a song at age 15 in Kansas City by British folk-rock band Steeleye Span. The sound of British traditional music immediately attracted her. Connie quickly embarked on what has become a lifelong study of Scots and Irish music. "Hearing this music for the first time," she recalled, "was like falling in love or perhaps 'coming home'." Crystalline and sensuously captivating, Connie Dover's voice soars, drawing its stylistic power from her experiences in Scotland, England, and the Midwest while exploring a common musical ground among all three.
Kim Robertson
The foundation for Kim's unique approach to the Celtic harp and music lies in a simple love and passion for the instrument. She has redefined the rich tradition of the harp with her innovative improvisation and techniques, fusing the classic and contemporary, the established and the revolutionary. Blended exquisitely with Kim's vocalese, the harp in her hands and her voice become a powerfully evocative instrument of astonishing beauty and delicacy.