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With Cherish the Ladies having only missed playing at Celtic Connections once since its inception in 1994, it’s no surprise that they decided to make an album here. Recorded during last year’s festival, produced by Phil Cunningham, and released Stateside in October, Women of the House is the band’s eleventh recording, with tonight’s concert marking its UK launch. Besides Cunningham, guests on the CD include such well-kent names as Karen Matheson, Donald Shaw, Kate Rusby, Eddi Reader and James MacIntosh.

Following their initial incarnation in 1987 as a showcase project for Irish-American women musicians, the Ladies have risen to become one of the world’s top traditional acts. Combining virtuoso musicianship with a spirit and showmanship summed up by the New York Times as “passionate, tender and rambunctious”, the current line-up features longtime stalwarts Joanie Madden (flute, whistles, vocals) and Mary Coogan (guitar, banjo, mandolin) with Heidi Talbot (lead vocals, bodhrán), Mirella Murray (accordion) and Roisin Dillon (fiddle). “We’ll also have four world-class step-dancers with us,” adds Madden, “and a whole bunch of the friends who played on the album. With all these guests, we’ll be flying!”

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