Moira Cameron had her public singing debut at age 3 in her native Toronto. The daughter of late folksinger Stewart Cameron, she grew up steeped in the songs and stories of Canada's Celtic, English and French traditions, and she sang semi-professionally in the Ontario area before moving her fortunes from the big city to live in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories.

There, she continued her career as a folk singer and social activist there, and in 1993 she recorded her first album, One Evening as I Rambled.... All I can say is, it was about bloody time.

The album, funded in part by a grant from the Canadian department of Culture and Communications, is a sparsely assembled affair, with simple cover art and no liner notes. But funding worries had no detrimental impact on the music itself; the quality of performance and recording throughout the 11-track album is excellent.

One Evening as I Rambled... begins with a dance suited for sedately dancing in Renaissance finery, "Ronde/Gavotte." Close your eyes and you can see the swirl of colors as nobles and courtiers swirl about the room to the tune, which features Moira on bowed psaltry and recorders. Next, Moira sings the story of the "Outlandish Knight" (Childe Ballad #4), a song about greed, betrayed love, a quick-witted female victim and an amazingly stupid would-be thief. It features no instrument but Moira's voice, and she sings it strongly, with a storyteller's flair.

She exhibits similar style with songs including "Banks of Primroses" and "Shepherd's Song." She provides both melody and harmony on the recorders for the O'Carolan tune "Morgan Megan," her delicate playing lightly accompanied by her husband, Steve Goff, on guitar.

"Banks of Airdrie-O" tells of the meeting of three sisters and a brutish robber who means to steal more than their gold -- with predictably tragic results. Moira sings the story, while a choir consisting of Steve Lacey, Dawn Lacey, Lorelei Andrew and Laryssa Wolansky give the a cappella tune a cathedral air -- a vocal combination I hope she revisits on future albums. It is followed by the spare and stately dance tune, "Bransle de Champaigne," which again features Moira on bowed psaltry and recorder. Although the slightly shrill tone of the psaltry isn't for everyone, it neatly captures the feel of ancient halls and storytelling minstrels.

Moira regains a lighthearted note with "Johnny Be Fair," a quick ditty familiar on Renaissance faire circuits about a roving father, a frustrated daughter, a patient mother and a cunning punchline. Steve Lacey adds a punchy guitar line to the tune. Next is Nova Scotian song "Drimindown," another lovely a cappella piece spotlighting Moira's solo vocal skills.

The album concludes with an atmospheric rendition of "Reynardine," also a cappella and echoing beautifully, as if sung in a Great Hall or cathedral. The song is paired with the gruesome spoken story, "Mr. Fox," which would best be told at night by firelight. Moira's speaking voice is well-suited to the tale. The final, musical farewell is another courtly dance tune, "Gathering Peascods," played by Moira on Appalachian dulcimer and recorders.

I had no idea what to expect when I first put Moira's debut album, One Evening as I Rambled, into my stereo. That I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement; I'm left wondering how I went so long without hearing this marvelous performer.