Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #160

04-09-15   Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #160 begins with Mariam’s beautifully simple and hopeful ode to imminent spring, “Aphrodite Rising”, expressed with a sprightly vocal and ukelele from Mariam and Bob Sherwood’s percussion.  A lovely spacious piece that represents the soul of simplicity.  Next up is the equally bright and lightly contemplative “Bulb Show- Delight For The Senses”, a stream-of-consciousness impression from Mariam on the exquisite Smith College spring flower show, this year dedicated to and inspired by the painter Monet.  Craig Harris joins us on congas as Bob moves to the piano for this suitably expressionistic piece, the climax of which finds Mariam moving to the native flute for some lovely shadings.  “Jayku Bay Day Ho” follows as Mariam picks up the acoustic guitar for this serene, melancholy piece devoted to peace and serenity.  This beautiful improvisation picks up a pleasing tension as Mariam provides a devotional commentary on the animals and the earth waking up from winter as Bob synthesizes the various movements into a final evocative coda.  Following the break we return with the wide-open impressionism of the mystical “Let Your Life Flow”, an electronically-treated raga that Craig drives hard to a summit of intensity.  Mariam changes the shading of this improv with the kalimba and we move into “Chippy” a pretty, childlike story of a chipmunk of Singing Brook before signing off on episode 160 of the Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour”.