11-09-23 Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #550 is an hour of visionary acoustic improvisational music played by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, 6- and 12-string acoustic guitars, mandolin and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drums. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in late October of 2023, today’s show included many “reimaginings” of Mariam’s recorded songs from several of her albums. The challenge of recasting a song in a completely new framework is an interesting challenge, and today’s first candidate is the folk song “Freedom”. Far from open folk chords and a major, uplifting melody, today the band recreate the song as a subcontinental drone piece built around Mariam’s chiming DADGAD-tuned 12-string acoustic Martin. “Full Moon’s Light” continues as a “second chapter” of the D drone with engaging modal piano work from Bob and a mystical, dynamic vocal from Mariam and “Gather Together” reimagines one of Mariam’s folk songs as a driving, powerful minor rock song with fiery piano and a powerful vocal from Mariam. “I’m Walking” is a hip, bepop-influenced jazz tune with kinetic piano from Bob over Craig’s driving congas supporting a fluid, drifting, poetic lyric from Mariam. “Sing Down The Walls” from Mariam’s 2009 CD “Gaea Star Crystal: Awakening The Tribes Of Light” is presented faithfully as a powerful, melodic folk song with a strolling, Verdian opera rhythm. “Oh Holy Ground” from the “Vision Quest” is dressed up as a powerful, driving folk rock song that medleys seamlessly with “Many Seeds Have Fallen” from the same record and we conclude the show today with “Underneath It All” a beautiful, affecting peace song supported with a deep pulse from Craig and Mariam’s stately ukulele.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com
