11-30-23 Gaea Star Crystal #553 is an hour of improvised, visionary acoustic music recorded live by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, acoustic guitar, Celtic harp, ukulele, Native flute and mandolin, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on Native drum and congas. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington Massachusetts in November of 2023, today’s show begins with a series of unique musical snippets recorded to be included in Mariam’s upcoming audiobook “Gaea Star Crystal: Awakening The Tribes Of Light”. “Star Of Water” and “Heya Heya Hey” are drifting tone poems and “Ancient Mother” is a pretty, reverent minor key medicine song. Returning to regular long-form songs for today’s show, “Amsinia” is a rich ballad with lovely Native flute and vocal work from Mariam and “Grateful” is a powerful mélange of Native and modern sounds that showcases a powerful vocal from Mariam and vibrant, shifting minimalist piano from Bob. “Underneath It All” is a deep minor prayer with fine ensemble work from the whole band supporting Mariam’s languid vocal; Craig’s steady, mellow congas, Bob’s aching minor cadences and Mariam’s spot-on acoustic rhythm guitar strumming. “Underneath It All Part 2 (Let’s Become Excited) continues with a delicate, shaded B minor and more lyrical word play from Mariam. “Grateful For Peace” is a highlight today, a sky-wide, rousing gospel song that begins with a simple framework of mandolin from Mariam, fundamental Native drum from Craig and a piano figure from Bob that recalls classic gospel, then grows patiently into a full-throated epic supporting Mariam’s powerful vocal. We close today with the impressionistic, appropriately drifting “Water”, a mystical musical puzzle in praise of the almighty H2O.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com
