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Ceilidh Friends

Moira Cameron

Steve Goff

Dawn Lacey

Steve Lacey

BottleArt Creations

 

 Moira Cameron Recordings

I have produced and recorded three solo albums of ballads, tunes and stories.  I have also recorded two albums with Ceilidh Friends and have participated in several other recordings made by Yellowknife musicians (see some of them on CeltArctic Spotlight).

 The Albums: 

Sands of the Shore (NEW), Lilies Among the Bushes, One Evening as I Rambled

 

One Evening As I Rambled (1991)  Buy NOW with Paypal

With partial funding from the NWT Arts Council for this project, this CD covers as wide and varied a selection of my repertoire as possible.  The album is peppered with unusual instruments, traditional ballads, and one traditional folk tale.  This recording is available on CD and cassette.

REVIEWS:  For an online review, see:  Rambles - One Evening as I Rambled

“Bowed psaltery, recorder, Appalachian dulcimer, guitar, and vocals make for a magical combination...This CD is a treat....”  Victory Review, Vol. 22, # 8, August 1997 (Review of 'One Evening as I Rambled...') “She is a highly competent performer on a variety of instruments...In particular, though, she has an enchanting, indeed haunting, voice...and chooses songs that allows it full expression..” Canadian Folk Music Bulletin, Vol. 29, #1 (Review of 'One Evening as I Rambled...') “...riveting.  Whether Cameron is playing recorder, bowed psaltery, Appalachian dulcimer, or singing traditional songs with or without accompaniment, this is a splendid album for those who love the traditional repertoire....” Northern Journey:  a guide to Canadian Folk Music on CD, Gene Wilburn, ©1995 (Review of 'One Evening as I Rambled...')

What's on the Album...

Sound clips

Song Titles:

Details:

¯ Ronde (T. Susato)/Gavotte (G.F. Handel) bowed psaltery, recorders
¯ Outlandish Knight (Child Ballad #4) vocals
  Banks of Primroses (traditional) vocals, dulcimer, recorder
  Shepherd's Song (traditional) melody & harmony vocals
  Morgan Megan (O Carolan) recorders; Steve Goff on guitar
  Banks of Airdrie-O (Child Ballad #14)

vocals; Chorus: Steve & Dawn Lacey, Lorelei Andrews, Laryssa Wolansky

  Bransle de Champaigne (C. Gervaise) bowed psaltery, recorders
  Johnny Be Fair (traditional) vocals; Steve Lacey on guitar
  Drimindown (traditional) vocals
  Reynardine (traditional) vocals
  Mr. Fox (traditional folk tale)  
  Gathering Peascods (traditional) Appalachian dulcimer, recorders, percussion

TOP    To Order

 

Lilies Among the Bushes (1997) Buy NOW with Paypal

With a full hour of recorded material, this CD is a ballad-lover's treat.  Of the 16 tracks, over half of them are Child Ballads (traditional ballads collected by Francis J. Child).  I wanted this album to be a tribute to some of my major musical influences.  This album is only available on CD, however, if you want a cassette, please let me know.

REVIEWS:  For an online review, see:  Rambles - Lilies Among the Bushes

“Traditional ballad singing is an extraordinarily difficult art to master, but my goodness this girl can do it.  Her voice is absolutely lovely--high and silvery with muscle, and keeps you riveted throughout....”  Victory Review, Vol. 23, # 6, June 1998 (Review of 'Lilies Among the Bushes') “Moira’s voice is clear and has a way of getting right inside you. She is thankfully free of the annoying...mannerisms of many modern women singers.   Moira has selected material that has special meaning for her. These are songs of strength and endurance, often from a woman’s point of view.”  Appleseed Quarterly, Vol. 8, # 2, 1998 (Review of 'Lilies Among the Bushes')

What's on the Album...

Sound clips

Song Titles:

Details:

  Crafty Maid's Policy (traditional) Vocals, Appalachian dulcimer, recorders
  Elfin Knight (Child Ballad #2) vocals; Chorus: Lorelei Andrews, Susan Keogh, Ceilidh Friends
  Martha (© Gumboots) vocals
  Barbara Allen (Child Ballad #84) vocals, Appalachian dulcimer, recorder
  Brown Girl (Child Ballad #73/295) vocals
¯ Jenny Lind Polka/Halting March (traditional)

recorder, hammered dulcimer, percussion; Steve Lacey on guitar

¯ Jock O'Hazeldean (Child Ballad #293) vocals
  Daemon Lover (Child Ballad #243) vocals, Appalachian dulcimer
  Love Henry (Child Ballad #68) vocals, autoharp
  Lady Diamond (Child Ballad #269) vocals
  Willie of Winsbury (Child Ballad #100) vocals, autoharp; Chic Callas on cello
  Well Below the Valley (Child Ballad #21) vocals; Chorus: Lorelei Andrews, Susan Keogh, Ceilidh Friends
  Grit's Tune (© G. Laskin/M. Cameron) Appalachian dulcimers
  Bold William Taylor (traditional) vocals
  Tarry Trousers (traditional) vocals, autoharp
  Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy (traditional) vocals, Appalachian dulcimer

TOP   To Order

Sands on the Shore (2007)  Buy NOW with Paypal

This CD took long to complete, but I think it has been worth it.  Like "Lilies", this CD has 60 minutes worth of ballads, many of them performed a capella.  Of the 17 tracks, there are 7 Child Ballads (traditional ballads collected by Francis J. Child), and 3 of my own compositions.  This album is only available on CD, however, if you want a cassette, please let me know.

REVIEWS: 

"Sands of the Shore is my first experience hearing Moira Cameron, who describes herself as a balladeer. I wouldn't dispute that title at all and I will be looking for more of her music in the future. The CD is pure, simple pleasure to listen to. If you enjoy Kate Rusby, Cathie Ryan or Connie Dover's lovely soprano, you should add this disc to your collection. This 17-song compilation is a mix of traditionals from Scottish, English, American and Canadian folk classics. Her choices are not among the most commonly covered songs -- "In the Month of January," "I Have Four Brothers" and "Tamlin" are the only songs I've heard often from other artists. Most of the songs are a cappella with Cameron offering the melody with a joining chorus. Instrumentation is simple and acoustic. By Becky Kyle; Rambles.net "This is a collection that is mostly ballads and mainly from the British Isles from a singer of Scots descent who now lives in the Yellowknife area of northern Canada. The singing is fairly straightforward and it includes much-loved favourites like 'Turpin Hero' and 'A Week Before Easter' as well as much rarer pieces such as 'Whummil Bore' and 'I Have Four Brothers'. What marks it out from the ordinary is the beauty and commitment of the singing. Partly this is unaccompanied; in other places fairly uncomplicated dulcimer and autoharp are used. Moira understands how to hold the listener's attention through the length of a ballad like 'Tamlin' and gives her best performance on 'Maid on the Shore'." By Vic Smith; fRoots Magazine, May 2008 Issue # 299

~ This review was very lengthy and wonderfully detailed. I will only quote brief segments here:

"A new CD from Moira Cameron is always a treat to look forward to...[She] has made this recording, as she says, to 'pay honour to my sources...' This CD is as fine a tribute as anyone could wish for."

Regarding 'In the Month of January': "...a haunting Scottish traditional song performed at a very slow tempo, but it works; in fact, it's gorgeous, and really showcases Moira's voice at her very best - clear, soaring and controlled..."

Regarding 'Lamkin': "...a revenge ballad and one of the hardest traditional ballads to sing owing to its unrelenting grimness, but Moira's interpretation gloriously succeeds, being chilling and compelling without going over the top, and driving inexorably to its gruesome climax..."

Regarding 'Tamlyn': "...The final track...is 'Tamlyn', another fine Child ballad...This [version] has some splendid words; for example, when the heroine turns to ask her bewitched seducer his name 'she nothing saw and nothing heard and all the woods grew dim'. Later, when the Fairy Court notice her there...'the thunder rolled across the sky and the stars they blazed like day'. And Moira sings 'it', not 'him', when describing the fearsome shapes and objects Tamlyn is turned into as Margaret struggles to hold him and the Elfin Court tries to make her let go. All these bring out and emphasize the otherworldliness and weirdness of the story more than other versions, and Moira keeps our attention through it all..."

Canadian Folk Music, Spring 2008 Vol. 42.1
Published by the Canadian Society for Musical Traditions
Review written by Rosaleen Gregory

 

What's on the Album...

Sound clips

Song Titles:

Details:

¯ M'en Revenant de Bordeaux (French Canadian Traditional) a capella with chorus:  Steve Goff, Steve Lacey, Dawn Lacey, Marilyn Morrison, Kate Tompkins, Ray Bethke
  In the Month of January (Scottish Traditional) a capella
  Kate's Ballad (©1998 M. Cameron - SOCAN) a capella with chorus:  Steve Goff, Steve Lacey, Dawn Lacey, Caitlin Lacey, Marilyn Morrison, Kate Tompkins, Ray Bethke
  Lament of a Miner's Wife (©2000 M. Cameron - SOCAN) Appalachian dulcimer, recorders
  Whummil Bore (Scottish Traditional - Child # 27) a capella with eggs
  Young Benjie (Scottish Traditional - Child # 86) a capella
  Down by the Willow Garden (American Traditional) Autoharp
  Wee Wee Man (Scottish Traditional - Child # 38) a capella
  Dick Turpin and the Lawyer (Canadian Traditional) a capella with spoons & chorus:  Steve Goff, Steve Lacey, Dawn Lacey, Caitlin Lacey, Marilyn Morrison, Kate Tompkins, Ray Bethke
  Lamkin (Scottish Traditional - Child # 93) a capella
  Branwyn's Pleasure (©1998 M. Cameron - SOCAN) Appalachian dulcimer with recorders
  Still Her Answer to me was No (English Traditional) a capella
¯ I Have Four Brothers (English Traditional - Child # 46) a capella with chorus:  Steve Goff, Steve Lacey, Dawn Lacey, Caitlin Lacey, Marilyn Morrison, Kate Tompkins, Ray Bethke
¯ A Week Before Easter (English Traditional) a capella
  Maid on the Shore (English Traditional - Child # 43) a capella
  Sands of the Shore (Harry Staunton/Henry Penther 1911) recorders and guitar:  Steve Lacey; with chorus:  Dawn Lacey, Caitlin Lacey, Marilyn Morrison, Kate Tompkins
  Tamlin (English Traditional - Child # 39) a capella; recorded live at a concert in Athabasca, AB.

TOP   To Order

 

 

HOW TO ORDER

There are two ways to order my albums:

1.  Go to the CELTARCTIC ONLINE STORE and pay now using PayPal (Note:  the CeltArctic Store also contains recordings listed for Ceilidh Friends, Steve Lacey, and Dawn Lacey.  Visit their pages to find out more.)

2.  You can order my albums by emailing me your request.  The small chart below will give you an idea of the estimated Canadian or US prices without shipping.  I will email you back with the total cost and instructions, and await your payment.  (NOTE:  If you are ordering from a country other than the US or Canada, I WILL require a money order in Canadian funds rather than a cheque.)

ALBUM TITLE CD PRICE TAPE PRICE
  Canada USA Canada USA
         
One Evening as I Rambled $ 18.00 $ 16.00 $ 6.00 $ 5.00
Lilies Among the Bushes $ 20.00 $ 18.00

available upon request

Sands of the Shore $ 20.00 $ 18.00 available upon request

 

ö Moira's Home Page ö Biography ö Photo Gallery ö

ö News & Announcements ö Links ö Special Feature... ö

ö Moira's father - Stewart Cameron ö

 

To contact Moira, email admin_celtarctic@yk.com or write

Moira Cameron, 4505 Schooldraw Ave, Yellowknife, NT, X1A 2K3, Canada

This page has been updated April 22, 2010