10-11-18
Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #325 is an hour of visionary, varied, evocative, lush and accomplished acoustic improvised music and songs featuring the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, native flute, tenor ukulele, acoustic 6- and 12-string guitars and percussion, Craig Harris on congas and native drums and Bob Sherwood on piano. Recorded on an early autumn day at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, today’s show begins with the hypnotizing, magical ambience of “Like The Morning”, a steady, prayerful ballad built on a relentless groove of piano and congas and draped with lovely improvised melody and native flute from Mariam. Beginning with a mysterious flute fanfare, “Let’s All Be A Little Stronger” is a mystical meditation on resistance in our time led by Bob’s minimalist, echoing piano and a profound message from Mariam on resilience in all things. “The Last Of The Moonlight” is a light and unusually pretty ballad to the moon that skips and plays to the tune of Mariam’s tenor ukulele like moonlight on the surface of a lake and “Nothing New” is a powerful, mesmerizing epic that moves through several motifs to express the beauty of the circularity of the seasons. Mariam plays her chiming Martin 12-string acoustic to set the tone for “Today”, a relaxed ballad that celebrates the everyday through Mariam’s lush vocal and the firm and steady support of the band. “Room Of Doubt” is a classic from Mariam’s “Gaea Star Crystal: Awakening The Tribes Of Light” album and “Gather Together” is drawn from the “Best Of The Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour 2013 compilation album. We finish today with the hushed, gentle “The Sun’s Calling” featuring a gorgeous vocal and native flute passages from Mariam over Bob’s classical piano motifs.
