Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #270

07-13-17  Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #270 is an hour of lively, imaginative and striking acoustic-based musical improv featuring the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, native flute, ukulele, dulcimer and acoustic guitar, Craig Harris on congas and percussion and Bob Sherwood on piano.  Today we feature several of Mariam’s songs and improvised pieces led by her visionary vocals, beginning with the dulcimer-driven celebration of life that is “Happy I Am”, an elegant waltz with a delicate, spiraling vocal from Mariam over a waltzing rhythm section of dulcimer, piano and congas.  “Smile” is another drone-based dulcimer number that evokes the forest in the summer with soaring native flute from Mariam and ever-shifting piano textures from Bob.  “Yemanja” honors the Yoruban Goddess of the Oceans as Mariam delivers a mystical vocal over minor ukulele and alternating swells of jazzy and elemental piano and conga grooves.  A sweeping coda opens up with washes of echo, waves of pure rhythm and insistent, evocative native flute from Mariam.  “Let’s Get It Right” is a beautiful, peaceful ballad with a striking vocal from Mariam built on sheets of chiming acoustic guitar, piano and congas and “Following The Trail Of Light” is pure, stately folk with lush chords and a series of dreamy motifs.  We finish the show today with the haunting, gypsy ballad “How Friends Come And Go”, a midnight evocation of friendship and connection.