03-07-24 Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #565 is an hour of improvised, visionary acoustic music from the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, acoustic guitar, dulcimer, Celtic harp, shruti box and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on Native drum and congas. Taped live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in late February of 2023, today’s show begins with the alluring, gently unfolding “Full Moon”, a silvery, delicate piece framed by Mariam’s chiming acoustic guitar and Bob’s embracing piano figures. “Oh, Heavenly Mother” continues a lush, romantic mood with Mariam’s gentle vocal over a whispery, steady rhythm track and “On The Way Home” is a gorgeous, ambitious, unsettled epic with another exceptional vocal from Mariam and energized, imaginative, jazzy support from the ensemble. “The Key Is To Only Do What Makes You Sparkle” is a slow, stately song with a deeply affecting conversation between Mariam’s somber, soaring vocal and lyrical, spacious Native flute, heartbeat Native drum and expansive gospel piano. “Yemanja” from the “Gaea Star Goddesses” album is re-animated as a beautiful, dulcimer-drone based raga, powerful and driving and adorned with Mariam’s vivid ocean-and-sky word pictures. “There’s Only One Way” is a pure, simple, powerful folk song with a deep, throbbing heartbeat and “Seeds In The Ground”, Mariam’s country blues rocker from the “For The Children” album is taken out for a kinetic, energized spin. We close today’s show with the somber, patient, spacious “Hope”, another gentle vehicle for a rich vocal-and-flute conversation from Mariam set to modern jazz piano.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com
