Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #495 is an hour of inspired, visionary acoustic improvisational music recorded by the Gaea Star Band, featuring Mariam Massaro on vocals, acoustic guitar, ukulele and Native flute, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drums.  Tracked live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington Massachusetts in June of 2020, today’s show begins with the mystical, grooving “Into The Realm Of Serenity”, a jazzy jam with imaginative grooves and an inspiring lyric from Mariam.  “Keep On Walking” is a lovely minor ballad that expresses unity and mutual support, and “Standing In The Rain” is a driving, pretty folk song carried along by Mariam’s chiming ukulele.  “Manekayo” is an upbeat Hawaiian flavored song to the night sky that builds on piano climaxes and Mariam’s sparkling eight string ukulele with a bed of steady congas from Craig.  “Just Walk Away” is a classic song from Mariam, presented here as a staid folk rock ballad, and “Everywhere The People Are Changing” frames the Covid 19 pandemic as an opportunity for unity and change set to a minor folk groove and “Thank You For The Year” rises out of a lovely, plaintive native flute solo above lush piano to grow into a majestic gospel ballad. Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #494 was recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, in early June of 2022 and consists of live acoustic improvisational music played and sung by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, Celtic harp, acoustic guitar and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on Native drums and congas.  Today's show begins with the peaceful, beautiful "Fireflies", an affecting summer ballad featuring a moving vocal from Mariam atop a lovely, delicate backing from the band.  "Fawn In The Forest" is another gorgeous nature journey with a beautiful vocal from Mariam over an inspired series of piano figures from Bob and "Revel In The Glory" is a deep minor folk ballad featuring chiming acoustic guitar from Mariam and rich, steady native drum work from Craig.  "Reborn" is a classic song of Mariam's from the "Release" album and is given a tight, driving, masterful reading here by the band and "Let The Rains Come" celebrates a summer rain squall with a trancelike and faintly classical motif supporting a fine bit of poetry from Mariam.  We conclude today's show with a trio of original songs from Mariam's albums with an impassioned take of the love song "Twin Flame", an energized and deeply felt reading of the activist anthem "Sing Down The Walls" and a powerful, masterful, tight reading of the island folk song "Pele", driven with high energy by Mariam's vocal and Hawaiian themed ukulele part. Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Today on Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #493, we present an hour of live visionary acoustic improv music featuring the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, acoustic guitar, ukulele and Celtic harp, Craig Harris on congas and Native drums and Bob Sherwood on piano.  Recorded in early June at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, the hour begins with the deep, hypnotic “When I Wake Up”, a trance-like, driving piece featuring a fine vocal from Mariam over Craig’s powerful Native drum backbeat and Bob’s active, jazzy piano.  “For The Children” is a somber, affecting prayer for the victims of Uvalde driven by Mariam’s compassionate poetry and “Love From The Heavens” is a drifting, meditative tone poem centered around Mariam’s swirling Celtic harp and abstract vocal.  “Oh, The Sweet Mother Earth is a delicious, intoxicated summer ballad featuring a gorgeously unwinding piano motif from Bob and “Oh, The Rain” finds Mariam back on acoustic guitar to lead the band through a lovely minor ballad featuring a fine vocal.  “Peaceful Arms” concludes today’s show with an affecting vocal from Mariam as the band spins a slow, evocative minor ballad around Mariam’s chiming acoustic guitar. Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Today on Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #492 we present an hour of visionary acoustic improvisational music by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, dulcimer, acoustic guitar, 4-and 8-string ukulele, Native flute and harmonica, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on Native drums and congas.  Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in May of 2022, today’s show begins with Mariam on her dulcimer singing the sweeping, evocative “Cooling Rain Storm”, an energized ode to summer rain that features driving congas from Craig and funky, bassline-centered piano from Bob.  “Happy I Am” is a beautiful dulcimer song from Mariam’s “For The Children” album and is expressed here in an intoxicating series of polyrhythms beneath Mariam’s lovely vocal and Native flute.  “Whispering Moon” is a gorgeous, cloudswept midnight song featuring lilting poetry from Mariam leading the band on here ukulele, and “The Essence Of Life” begins with a flurry of expressive Native flute and settles into a pretty, open gospel waltz driven by Bob’s unfolding arpeggios on the piano.  “Feeling Like A Queen” is a slow, driving blues with a fine vocal punctuated by sharp harmonica over a rock-solid rhythm section and “Oh Life How It Changes” is a mystical minor ballad driven along by Mariam’s acoustic guitar and “Dance In Sweet Delight” closes today’s show in a shower of fantastical images from Mariam and a rhythm section imbued with the magic of Mariam’s iridescent 8-string ukulele. Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #491 is an inspired hour of visionary acoustic improvisational music played live by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Celtic harp, harmonica, ukulele, dulcimer, acoustic guitar and Native flute, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on Native drums and congas.  Recorded at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in May 2022, today’s show begins with the mystical, spacious “As We Rise Up”, a compelling song that begins with lilting Native flute fanfares before gradually building to a powerful chant.  “To Where We Dwell Eternally” is a bluesy folk song led by Mariam’s plucky ukulele and “Oh May We Find Our Way Through The Passage Of Life” is a minor ballad with a fine vocal from Mariam across a tight, emotional framework from the band.  “Castle In The Sky” is a whispering, stately ballad led by Mariam’s silken acoustic guitar locked with Craig’s conga groove and “Rail Train” is a beautiful epic that features overdubs from the band adding vocals, harmonica, percussion and bass guitar to bring depth to this jazzy exploration.  Today’s show finishes with the chiming “Woody”, an ode to a friendly woodpecker showcasing Mariam’s silvery 8-string ukulele. Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #490 Singing Brook Studio in Worthington brings you another live studio recording of the Gaea Star Band performing visionary acoustic improvisational music with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, acoustic guitar, ukulele and shruti box, Bob Sherwood on piano and tablas and Craig Harris on congas and Native drums.  Recorded in early May of 2022, Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #490 begins with the sweet, blossoming, meditative “Oh May The Waters Bless You”, a fundamental groove featuring fine Native flute fanfares and a beautiful vocal from Mariam.  “Let Your Life Sail Along” is a strangely mystical creation evocating mystery and wonder, bouncing on waves of ukulele, congas and imaginative, dancing piano.  “Sailing Through The Flowers” is a profound and deeply affecting raga with the drone provided by Mariam’s shruti box.  Craig and Bob create a mesmerizing framework of congas and tablas for Mariam’s gorgeous Eastern creation.  The band gradually evolves the theme into a series of alternately beautiful and psychedelic variations before shifting into the simple, sedate folk of “I Only Want To Serve In The Light”, a pretty, gospel-influenced air given shape with Mariam’s steady acoustic guitar chording.  “Tiny Slipper In The Sky” is a beautiful midnight moon song with fine vocal work from Mariam and “Open My Heart”, a classic gospel song from Mariam, concludes today’s show on a high note. Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #489 is an hour of visionary acoustic improvisational music recorded live by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, ukulele and Native flute, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drums.  Tracked on May 2, 2022 at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, today’s show begins with the lovely, sedate “In The Glory Of The May”, a travelogue of early spring from Mariam with chiming acoustic guitar.  “Follow Your Bliss” is a slinky jazz blues workout featuring wailing harmonica from Mariam and rolling barrelhouse piano from Bob and “The Planets Are Aligning” is a driving minor key folk song carried along by Craig’s steady congas and Mariam’s fiery ukulele.  “Like A Fountain Of Light” is a Native raga featuring flute fanfares from Mariam that gathers into a beautiful, stately ballad with gospel piano from Bob beneath Mariam’s powerful vocal.  “There’s Always Time” is a powerful, mid-tempo song that begins in a very Eastern mode before rolling Westward and “Just Around The Bend” closes today’s show with orchestral flourishes as Mariam strums her 8-string ukulele for this powerful, elemental epic. Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #488 Part Two is an hour of visionary acoustic improvisational music recorded by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, dulcimer, ukulele, acoustic guitar and shruti box, Bob Sherwood on piano and tabla and Craig Harris on Native drums and congas.  Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts and mixed at Dragonfly in Cummington, Massachusetts in late April of 2022, today’s show begins with the Earth Day raga “I Hear The River”, a sparse, percussion-rich piece featuring flute fanfares and dulcimer from Mariam.  Mariam strums her baritone ukulele and delivers a fine and evocative vocal on “The Avenue Of Radiance” above a fine rhythm section of piano and congas from Bob and Craig and “We Are Free When We Open Our Eyes” is a lovely, open, naïve piece featuring Mariam’s chiming 8-string ukulele and a sweet, mesmerizing piano figure from Bob.  Mariam provides the drone for “I Remain At Peace” on her shruti box for this Eastern-influenced piece that evolves into a bluesy mantra with heartbeat Native drum from Craig.  “Are You My Angel?” is a folk blues number driven along by Mariam’s acoustic guitar and a rolling bass line from Bob, and Mariam’s “Spirit Of The Forest”, an engaging, open and driving song from the “Vision Quest” CD closes today’s show with a fine, relaxed groove and a fine vocal from Mariam. Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #488 is an hour of visionary acoustic improvisational music recorded live by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, acoustic guitar, harmonica and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on Native drums and congas.  Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington Massachusetts in April of 2022, today’s show begins with the staid, mystical “All Good Things Take Time”, a lovely minor air featuring a fine lyric from Mariam and compelling piano inventions from Bob.  “Flowing Fountain” is a beautiful, deeply felt spiritual ballad led by Mariam’s poetry of gratitude to nature as well as her deeply lyrical Native flute work and “Luminous Light” is a sprawling, hypnotic series of musical motifs taken at a quick clip with excellent conga work from Craig supporting Mariam’s moon poetry.  “I’m Here, I’m Listening” begins with harmonica fanfares from Mariam against call-and-response piano from Bob before developing into a steady, majestic gospel ballad and we close today with Mariam’s driving “I’m The Full Moon”, characterized by fine ensemble work by The Gaea Star Band. Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Today on Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #487 the Gaea Star Band presents an hour of visionary acoustic improvisational music with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, harmonica, ukulele, kalimba, acoustic guitar and shruti box, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on Native drums and congas.  Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in mid-April of 2022, today’s show begins with the buoyant folk tune “Golden Sun”, a song of praise for Spring led by Mariam’s playful vocal and ukulele.  “Life Is Like A River” is a pretty ballad featuring a fine vocal from Mariam in conversation with her folky, bittersweet harmonica and “Thankful” is a gorgeous, spacious minor ballad with languid, sensuous piano from Bob and lovely Native flute fanfares from Mariam above Craig’s Native drum heartbeat.  “For The Rain” is a profound, aching reflection built around Mariam’s plaintive kalimba with piano filigrees from Bob and steady, fundamental congas from Craig.  Bob shares a new song of his today, the gospel rock “Coming Home” that features fine work from the ensemble under Bob’s deeply felt lyric.  Mariam’s acoustic guitar holds down her classic song “Trust” with authority and power, and the lovely celestial waltz of “Twin Flame” is gorgeously presented here with strong work from the ensemble accompanying Mariam’s beautiful vocal.  We conclude today’s show with the playful “Keeping It Light”, something of a children’s song featuring Mariam’s chiming 8-string ukulele and a buoyant rhythm section from Craig and Bob. Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com