11-24-16 Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #238 consists of a series of duets between Mariam Massaro on vocals, native flute, acoustic 6- and 12- string guitars and dulcimer and Bob Sherwood on drums and piano. Taped at Singing Brook Studio, we begin with Mariam’s native chant “Everything You Need Is Right Inside” featuring Mariam’s plaintive and prayerful native flute and Bob’s drums. We shift to a western ballad mode with Bob moving to piano and finding his way to a bittersweet, evocative motif which Mariam decorates and defines with a series of beautiful verses and interpolations of deeply felt flute. Up next is Mariam’s “Moonlight Whispers”, a lush, psychedelic song of praise to the moon built upon Mariam’s jangling dulcimer and a series of eastern suggestions from Bob on piano. A beautiful piece of work electronically enhanced to frame Mariam’s simple, deep and reverent observations of nature.
“Right Next To You” is a romantic ballad from Mariam featuring her lush Martin 12- string acoustic guitar accompanied by Bob’s plaintive piano. “Just To Be Free” opens with an electronically woven vocal refrain from Mariam and develops into a hip 12-string and conga jam with pretty verses from Mariam. “It’s All Coming Around” is a mystical piece with a strong drive provided by Mariam’s 12-string and Bob’s angular, Chinese-scaled piano figures. Growing from the glowing embers of “It’s All Coming Around” is the spacious, modal “Just To Be Free” built on a relentless, hypnotic piano figure from Bob and Mariam’s sparkling 12-string. A deeply somber and beautiful coda presents Mariam’s always-lyrical native flute in lush relief setting the stage for a take on Mariam’s “Gather Together” that is somehow both opera and blues-based. A fine and defining vocal from Mariam closes today’s show.
