07-20-23 Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #535 is an hour of improvisational, visionary acoustic music played by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, native flute, ukulele, shruti box, acoustic guitar and banjo, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on Native drums and congas. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in mid-June 2023, today’s show begins with the sedate, peaceful “The Calling Of The Forest”, a beautiful ballad in praise of nature featuring a beautiful vocal and soaring Native flute from Mariam. “You Hear Me In The Morning” is a joyful, spacious folk song led by Mariam’s banjo and “The Crescent Moon” is a veiled, midnight ballad with chiming acoustic guitar from Mariam above a steady, percolating rhythm section of congas and piano from Craig and Bob. “After Rain” is a pretty, delicate ballad again led by Mariam’s tight acoustic guitar work and “Transforming, Reflecting” is a powerful piece characterized by Mariam’s vocal and flute conversation and striking, contrasting major and minor sections. Next up is a tight, incisive version of Mariam’s “Twin Flames” from the “Smooth Sailin’ Love Songs” CD and “Spirit Of The Forest” from the “Vision Quest” album is built around Mariam’s chiming ukulele and plaintive vocal. Today’s show finishes with the beautiful raga “As The Pages Turn”, a somber, Russian-influenced drone held down by Mariam’s shruti box as Bob develops a Prokofiev-styled piano motif to support Mariam’s delicate vocal.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com
