Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #252

03-02-17   Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #252 on a cold February day at Singing Bridge Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts and features compelling songs and visionary improvisations by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, native flute, acoustic guitar, baritone ukulele, celtic harp and dulcimer, Robert Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and balaphone.  We begin with Mariam’s lush, stately “Oh The Moon Is Calling Me Home”, an ode to the night sky and the silver moon that evokes both peace and longing with sweet acoustic guitar and lunar piano.  “How Is It Gonna Be A Place Of Love?” follows, a meditative and insightful lyric from Mariam cast by the band in a swirling, folky style that mesmerizes with minimalist repetition.  The intensity rises and crests in true Gaea Star Band style, finally floating away in sheets of native flute and echoing, chiming piano to usher in the mystical, cloud-like “We’re Going Down Deep Inside”.  Classical piano, plaintive native flute and metronomic congas support a pure message of struggle and ultimate triumph from Mariam.  “Oh Sun” follows the break with a plaintive, dancing melody from Mariam accompanied by steady chords from her baritone uke along with nimble congas and dramatic, questing piano. Mariam strums her celtic harp for the epic closing piece “Singing Symphony In The Morning”, a mystical and unusually lovely meditation characterized by Mariam’s lengthy, sweeping melodies, plaintive native flute and classical piano from Bob in the southern European tradition.