01-09-25 Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #602 is an hour of visionary improvised acoustic music played by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, singing bowl, acoustic guitar, mandolin and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in late December of 2024, today’s show begins with concise, pretty minor ballad “I Am Enough” featuring a fine vocal from Mariam above Bob’s kinetic, searching piano and Craig’s steady congas groove. “Oh The River” begins as a sweet, major key folk song until it slowly morphs into a jazzy workout that evokes the return of a beautifully chaotic Spring. “Let’s Turn The Page” is an ambitious, spacious ballad sprinkled with Native flute and gorgeous vocals and “Open Every Day” is a fine, imaginative, focused version of the track from Mariam’s “Gaea Star Crystal” album. “That Golden Glow Within” takes shape around the stately, undulating drone of Mariam’s crystal singing bowl, her hushed, whispered vocal and expressive flute passages and is slowly, intentionally raised into a beautiful, touching piece that evokes classical art song with a particular nod to Schubert in the way Mariam’s lovely, understated vocals and flute make the most of Bob’s formal, consonant cadences. “Open Every Day” is dancing, exotic Eastern European-flavored whimsy from the “Gaea Star Crystal” album and “In The Middle Of The Night” is a deep and beautiful midnight reflection built around Mariam’s chiming mandolin and dynamic, slowly coalescing piano movements from Bob. Mariam strums her warm, intimate baritone ukulele for the affecting “When You Touch Me”, a standout of the “Smooth Sailin’ Love Songs” album that receives a sinuous, deeply emotional reading with powerful congas from Craig over the tight mandolin and symphonic piano. “Receiving Misty, Misty Rain” slides slowly and effortlessly from floating, open gospel ballad to focused, driving minimalist jazz fusion and “Shine Brightly” floats in on cascades of Native flute, a beautiful, impressionistic tone poem with imaginative ensemble playing from the band and a powerful, dynamic vocal from Mariam. Beautifully impressionistic and featuring a deep heartbeat from Craig’s Native drum, “Shine Brightly” cedes the stage for today’s inspired closer, the pretty island song “Shamiyaya”, originally appearing on Maraim’s “Release” album, evoking the islands on this deep winter day.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com
