Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #607

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #607 is an hour of fresh, inventive visionary acoustic improvised music played by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, acoustic guitar, harmonica, ukulele and mandolin, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts at the beginning of February 2025, today’s show begins with the upbeat, vintage folk of “Around The Bend”, a pretty, whimsical song with a fine vocal and chiming ukulele from Mariam. “In The Grand Splendor Of Creation” is a pretty piece build on a pretty, bittersweet chord scheme and featuring a touching, rich and emotional vocal from Mariam over a pretty instrumental bed of ukulele, piano and congas and “May We All Hear Our Spirit Singing Out” is a rich, classically-leaning musical piece framing a gorgeous vocal and Native flute conversation from Mariam above Craig’s thrumming Native drum heartbeat. The Gaea Star Band goes hard blues on the swaggering “Feel The Wind” with a fine vocal and visceral harmonica from Mariam and fat-fingered Chicago-flavored piano from Bob. “Step On The Button” is a lush, circular slice of minimalism with a ‘60s feel and a joyful, playful vocal from Mariam and “Change The World” weaves funk, Native American music, fusion, blues and visionary poetry into a rich, propulsive epic polished with another fine vocal from Mariam. “If You Know What Was In Your Heart” is an achingly pretty ballad with a haunting ‘50s feel and we complete today’s show with the airy, prayerful “Do You Remember You’re From The Starts Above?”, a gorgeous, love-filled island folk song driven along by Mariam’s relaxed ukulele.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #606

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #606 is an hour of visionary acoustic improvised music played by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, harmonica, ukulele, acoustic guitar, shruti box and mandolin, Bob Sherwood on piano and vocals and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in late January of 2025, today’s show begins with the upbeat, folky “Family Of Light”, a gospel-tinged folk song with skipping congas from Craig and fine vocal from Mariam. “Channel Brightly As We All Manifest” is an intense, sparse raga with beautiful Native flute and expressive vocals from Mariam over Bob’s classic motif and “Spirit Sisters Of The Ancient Grove” is a gorgeous, light song set in motion by Mariam’s chiming mandolin and rootsy harmonica. “Sing Down The Walls” is a powerful gospel song originally recorded for Mariam’s “Gaea Star Crystal” LP and “Yemanja” from the “Gaea Star Goddesses” LP is presented powerfully with fine interlocking vocals from Mariam and Bob. “Rooms Of Doubt”, also from the “Gaea Star Crystal” album is a powerful song of resistance in the face of powerful forcesa and is expressed today with particular passion. We conclude today’s show with the powerful minor blues of “Standing Ones Of Peace”, a powerful, fundamental minor blues with fine contributions from the ensemble supporting Mariam’s impassioned, bluesy vocal.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #605

On a bitterly cold January the Gaea Star Band gathers around the stove in the studio at Singing Brook to record Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #605, an hour of emotional, compelling, powerful improvised music and songs by Mariam Massaro with Mariam on vocals, acoustic 6- and 12-string guitars, ukulele, dulcimer, Celtic harp, Native flute and mandolin, Bob Sherwood on piano and backing vocals towards the end and Craig Harris on Native low drum and congas. Recorded live, today’s show begins with the rich, gentle-yet-powerful “So Many Veils”, a gorgeous folk song with a deeply powerful and affecting vocal from Mariam above tight acoustic guitar, imaginative piano and Ringo-esque conga work from Craig. “Here We Are Again” is a flowing raga based around Mariam’s DADGAD tuned 12-string acoustic guitar, a meditation on circles and cycles and “The Snow Queen” is a beautifully classical-sounding winter song with lush, pillowy chording from Bob on piano and Mariam on ukulele and imaginative, range-y vocals and “I Am Bountiful” derives a powerful, rocking primitivism from Mariam’s percussive mandolin, skipping congas and suspended, rhythmic piano. Mariam plugs in her crisp, rich-sounding dulcimer for the driving, throbbing “To The Glory”, a beautiful song with excellent ensemble work and a precise, virtuosic vocal that wraps evocatively and intuitively around the pretty, imaginative cadences. “Solare” continues the Gaea Star Band winter tradition of including a sunny, summery song during particularly cold spells and this version is driving, powerful and decorated in another fine vocal from Mariam. We conclude today’s show with inspired takes on Mariam’s “We Call In The Elements” and “Fire In Our Bellies” from her “Vision Quest” LP.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #604

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #604 is an hour of improvised visionary music played on a frozen, still January day in 2025 at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts. The Gaea Star Band featuring Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, kalimba, dulcimer, 4- and 8-string ukulele, mandolin, Celtic harp, harmonica and acoustic guitar, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native low drum begin this dynamic, inspired hour with the gentle, acoustic guitar-led minor ballad “I Am Spirit Manifest” before bringing in the varied, evocative “In The Full Moon”, a pulsing, jazzy composition featuring chiming Celtic harp, throbbing low drum and flights of majestic Native flute. “Let’s Slow Right Down” is a bittersweet, drifting coda to “In The Full Moon” with graceful, distant, echoing Native flute and gorgeous in-the-moment composition on the piano. “Grateful For The Memories” is a whimsical folk song with a fine vocal and tight, ringing 8-string ukulele from Mariam and hard blues piano from Bob. Mariam creates a wonderful elasticity on her ringing dulcimer that provides a framework for Bob’s chordal support on the gorgeous, mystical “Happy I Am” and mournful, unhurried kalimba ushers in the unusual, circular “There’s Only One Way”, a wonderfully melancholic, majestic moment of achingly pretty minimalism is held in frame by Bob’s Prokofiev-derived piano movements and Mariam’s powerful melody. “Oh Mother Earth” is the major-keyed analog to Mariam’s powerful song “I Am The Mother Earth” and in this expansive, joyful framework, driven along by Mariam’s crisp mandolin, becomes a piece of front-porch Americana. We finish today’s varied, inspired show with an upbeat version of Mariam’s island song “Lead Me Down”.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #603

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #603 is our first show of 2025 and was recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts on January 6th featuring the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin, shruti box, dulcimer and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. The band begins appropriately with the blues rock of “Happy New Year”, a driving, dynamic song with a fine vocal from Mariam before easing into the colorful Celtic drone of “Blessing Our Lives With Light”, a lovely, epic moon song in several movements with rich harmonic detail in the vocals and piano. “Rai Train To Heaven” is a rich, mystical ballad filled with sweeping vocals and Native flute explorations from Mariam and “Oh, The Ice Has Returned To The River”” is a whispered winter ballad swept along by Mariam’s chiming acoustic guitar and bluesy piano interjections from Bob. “Reflect The Light” is a rocking minor workout with an inspired lyric from Mariam and driving congas from Craig and “Wind Over The Water” is a rich drone underpinned by Mariam’s shruti box and given forward motion with fine vocals, piano and congas. “Holy Ones Of Light” is a beautiful, buoyant high energy folk song with propulsive mandolin work from Mariam and “Arise” from Mariam’s “Vision Quest” album is presented with an effortless, skipping energy and a lovely vocal from Mariam. “Sail To The Realms”, the opening track of Mariam’s album “Gaea Star Crystal” is given an uptempo, high energy reading full of energy and emotion. We close the show today with an evocative, pitch-perfect version of Mariam’s “Restore” from the “Vision Quest” album.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #602

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

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #601

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #601 is an hour of improvised visionary acoustic music performed by The Gaea Star Band featuring Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin, crystal bowl, mandolin and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in mid-December of 2024, today’s show begins with the relaxed, slowly unwinding winter anthem “The Snow Queen”, a lovely folk song that paints winter with rich descriptive stanzas from Mariam. “Somebody Before You” is a rich and beautiful ballad featuring a gorgeous vocal and sweeping Native flute passages from Mariam and expressive piano from Bob and “Blessed Are The Peacemakers” is a dancing, energized minor ballad led by Mariam’s chiming mandolin and Craig’s propulsive conga work. “Star Ray” is a gorgeous and deeply emotional peace, simultaneously sweet and driving, with affecting, sweeping vocals from Mariam and “Trail Of Light” is a pretty, open folk gospel song propelled by Mariam’s tight ukulele strumming and “Sail On” from the “Vision Quest” album appears in a gorgeous, soulful rendition that sustains the magical ukulele-piano interplay of the original supporting Mariam’s powerful vocal. “May I Be The Reflection” is a spacious, minimalist arrangement that creates a vast space to feature a fine, evocative conversation between Mariam’s powerful lyrics and Native flute passages that seem to fill the horizon and we close today with “Full Moon #2”, a beautifully unusual ode to the night sky that evokes moonlit vistas with clever chording and unusual melody.  
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #600

Gaea Star Crystal #600 is an hour of visionary improvised music and songs by Mariam Massaro played by Mariam on vocals, Native flute, acoustic guitar, kalimba, Celtic harp, marimba, ukulele and mandolin and Bob Sherwood on piano. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in early December of 2024, today’s show begins with a eulogy for Puffy the cat who left us after 17 years today, “Ode To Puffy”. A powerful take of Mariam’s “Reborn” continues the eulogy for a truly excellent cat and “Game Of Life” is a bouncing, playful folk song with a fine vocal from Mariam and dancing piano ostinatos from Bob. “May We All Find Our Peace Of Balance” grows like a flower from the ending of the prior piece with a soaring, expressive Native flute solo from Mariam and builds into a beautiful, stately ballad featuring rich piano from Bob and a compelling, extended conversation between Mariam’s solemn, soaring vocal and her Native flute. “Release, Revive, Relax” is a minimalist, ambient piece built on a tight framework of marimba and piano and “La Luna” is a fantastical ballad with a gorgeous vocal from Mariam accompanied by kalimba and piano. Mariam’s chiming mandolin holds the fort for the whispering, evocative “Walk In Truth With The Maiden Of Peace”, a gorgeous, prayerful, extended ballad with a sweeping, expressive vocal from Mariam and Mariam’s “White Buffalo Calf Woman” receives a solemn, reverent treatment with beautiful, unwinding vocals and Native flute interpolations from Mariam and Bob’s formalist, Prokofiev-influenced piano from Bob. We conclude today’s reverent, deep tribute to a very beloved cat with the sparkling, playful and beautifully rendered “Shamiyaya”.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #599

Today on Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #599 we present an hour of visionary acoustic improvised music played by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, mandolin, acoustic 6- and 12-string guitar, ukulele and sitar, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in late November of 2024, today’s show begins with the stately, romantic “Open Wide Our Hearts”, a brisk folk song with tight acoustic guitar from Mariam, followed by “Listen To The Calling Of Your Spirit” is a mystical, reverent piece built around Mariam’s alternately-tuned 12-string Martin acoustic guitar. “Mother Earth We Love You” is a beautifully mysterious minor-keyed folk song featuring a fine vocal and imaginative, gainfully-arranged classical piano from Bob. “I Want To Be A Witness” spins and stretches the theme of the previous song in a harmonically unusual frame and features a gorgeous melody over Craig’s steady, supportive conga groove. Lovely, deep folk mode is achieved with the lilting “Into The Mighty Waves”, a deeply affecting, endlessly unwinding poem over a gently supporting carpet of sound from the ensemble. We close with a suite of two mystical ragas as Mariam strums her exotic sitar; the floating, evanescent “Sri Padma Lakshmi” and its frenetic, energized sister “Lotus Queens”, closing today’s show with a flourish.  
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #598

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #598 is an hour of visionary acoustic improvisational music recorded live by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on acoustic guitar, vocals, native flute, ukulele and harp, Bob Sherwood on piano and percussion, Robin Rooney on djimbe and vocals and Craig Harris on congas and native drums.  Taped at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, in November of 2024, today’s show begins with the lush, hazy summer ode “Locust Flowers”, a gorgeous and hallucinogenic song featuring an evocative vocal from Mariam and deeply emotional piano from Bob.  “To The River” is an upbeat folk song led by Mariam’s driving acoustic guitar that morphs through mystical variations and “Luminous Light” brings a veiled and lovely minor key into play with alternately drifting and jazzy piano statements from Bob over Craig’s relentless heartbeat.  “We All Live Under The Blue Sky” is a powerful song of unity driven forward by Mariam’s ukulele and a groovy wall of rhythm from Craig, Robin and Bob.  “To The Way It Was” is a powerful, gospel-influenced rocker with a fine vocal from Mariam and “Sweet Nia Sails Away” is a solemn, evocative tone poem that wafts along on waves of celtic harp from Mariam, a song of praise for the passing of her beloved cat.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com