Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #511 is an hour of visionary improvised acoustic music played and recorded live by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, 4- and 8-string ukulele, shruti box, acoustic guitar and dulcimer, Bob Sherwood on piano, Craig Harris on Native drums and congas and Cevher Demirel on flute and bongos.  Today we feature very special guests Nina Rossi on drums and percussion and Robin Rooney on vocals and percussion.  Recorded at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in November of 2022, today’s show begins with the lush, Mediterranean vibe of “Begin A New Day”, a gorgeous, sunny song driven by Mariam’s chiming ukulele, fine flute work from Cevher and a driving rhythm from Craig and Nina.  “Middle Of The Night” comes in as a hushed midnight ballad with minor chords from Mariam’s acoustic guitar and racing runs from Bob on piano and builds slowly into a driving but sparse Native groove beneath Mariam’s inspired vocal.  “Calling In Their Beloveds” recalls an ancient forest with Mariam’s fundamental dulcimer and fine echoing vocals from Robin and “Water Tiger Year” is a gorgeous, skipping song defined by Mariam’s silvery 8-string ukulele and imaginative, upbeat accompaniment from the whole ensemble.  “Embrace The Silence” tells the story of a walk in the emerald forest as a slow, mystical raga built around the drone of Mariam’s shruti box. The song grows and expands in intensity as Mariam spins her mysterious sacred faery tale.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #510 was recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in November of 2022 and is an hour of visionary acoustic improv music featuring the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, 8- and 4-string ukuleles, acoustic guitar, Nashville-tuned guitar and sitar, Bob Sherwood on piano, Craig Harris on Native drums and congas and Cevher Demirel on flute and bongos.  Today’s show begins with the lush, jangling folk song “Healing Ways Are Rising”, driven by Mariam’s delicate Nashville guitar and inspired vocal, decorated by evocative flute passages from Cevher.  “Oh Sun” is another fine, driving folk song featuring Mariam’s silvery 8-string ukulele, again with Mariam’s gorgeous vocal in conversation with Cevher’s percussive flute.  “Life Is Love, Love Is Life” begins as a sedate meditation built around Mariam’s acoustic guitar and grows in intensity until taking wing as a driving, powerfully percussive medicine song, a lush melody surrounded by powerful drumming from Craig and Cevher.  “It Will Always Make You Smile” is a whispering, minor folk ballad that again picks up in intensity and drive with a powerful rhythm section and “May The Waters Bubble Up From The Depths” is an ever-changing, gorgeous improvisation driven by percussion and Bob’s deft, improvising piano supporting a powerful vocal from Mariam and “To Keep In The Oneness” completes today’s powerful journey as a beautiful raga featuring Mariam’s lush, mystical sitar and fundamental shruti box drones from Cevher.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #509 was taped live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, in November of 2022 and features songs by Mariam Massaro and visionary improvisation from the Gaea Star Band with Mariam on vocals, native flute, dulcimer and ukulele, Craig Harris on congas and marimba and Bob Sherwood on piano and 12-string guitar. We begin today with the stormy, unsettled “Exploration” featuring lush native flute from Mariam and a tense, taut rhythm section. “The Garden Of Love” is a bouncy avant-folk piece driven along by Mariam’s eight-string ukulele until the jazzy afro-cuban coda featuring scorching piano work from Bob. “Follow Heyaiho” is a gorgeous, atmospheric jam with visionary lyrics and floating native flute from Mariam buttressed by Craig’s steady conga work. “Calling Everyone To Give It All” is a prayer of hope and “Learn Something New Today” features acoustic 12-string from Bob in the DADGAD tuning over Craig’s heartbeat native drums. We finish today with the hypnotic, progressive psychedelia of “Holding To The Vision” featuring more evocative vocals and native flute from Mariam.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #508 is an hour of powerful visionary acoustic improvisational music featuring the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, Celtic harp, kalimba, dulcimer, ukulele, acoustic guitar, shruti box and percussion, Bob Sherwood on piano, Craig Harris on congas and Native drums and our newest member, flautist and percussionist Cevher Demirel.  Today’s show was recorded completely live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington Massachusetts in the Berkshires in November 2022.  The band begins the hour with “Beneath The Brilliant Blue”, a driving, psychedelic piece that begins as a sweet, legato exploration and slowly, slowly builds to a driving, powerful anthem driven by Mariam’s inspirational words and melodies.  “Let’s Try Harder To Keep Awakening” is a lush, swirling cloud of a song built around Mariam’s chiming thumb piano.  Bob extrapolates the E minor key of the kalimba through a series of dizzying modal shifts as Cevher’s rhythmic flute and Craig’s bouncing congas hold the piece in context.  Shifting into modern electronic textures and ultimately into a crisp blues complete with dashing flute solos from Cevher, the piece distinguishes itself with a casual, playful virtuosity.  “Hail To Everything” is deep forest music, dancing Native flute from Mariam, druidic, obsessive piano from Bob and a powerful, compelling percussion underpinning from Craig and Cevher.  “Calling You Home Now” is a gorgeous Eastern folk song that unwinds mysteriously from Mariam’s chiming ukulele in minor.  Shaded, midnight chord changes ride a maddening edge between Indian and Western Classical music and Cevher weaves evocative flute lines through this unsettled, compelling piece that slowly builds to a strange and driving groove.  Equally shaded and nocturnal is the darkly charismatic “Spice In Your Life”, another song draped in Cevher’s flute and Mariam’s winding melodies, the piece ramps up in energy to a sparse, rocking afro-cuban workout with tight, ambitious piano figures from Bob and driving congas from Craig.   “Great Transformation” is today’s closing piece, a powerful raga with a masterful lyric and melody from Mariam.  The weaving of Cevher’s flute and Mariam’s vocal reaches its zenith on this powerful piece underpinned by the twin drones of Mariam’s shruti box and dulcimer. 
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #507 is an hour of visionary acoustic improvisational music performed live by The Gaea Star Band at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in October of 2022.  With Mariam Massaro on vocals, Celtic harp, Native flute, ukulele, kalimba and acoustic 6- and 12-string guitars, Bob Sherwood on piano, Craig Harris on congas and Native drums and Cevhar Demirel on flute and bongos.  Today’s show begins with the stately “For The Greatness” a fine meditative groove decorated with Mariam’s elemental Native flute and vocals,  “Every Moment” is a blustery, tonally ambiguous folk song that evokes motion and mystery and “The Portal” is a gorgeous raga driven by Mariam’s chiming Martin 12-string and a powerful rhythm section from Craig and Bob.  Mariam forms the outline for the mysterious, evocative “The Portal” with steady guitar chords as Bob arrives at an ostinato in fourths that creates a floating, meditative mood.  Mariam again creates the structure for the arriving piece with the beautiful, deep “A Beautiful Treasure”, this time with her kalimba, outlining a mode that Bob spins into a series of bittersweet chords beneath Mariam’s gorgeous melody of deep longing.  “Spirit Calling” is a piece powerfully influenced by indigenous American music, a mesmerizing piano motif, driving congas and Mariam’s flowing vocals and Native flute create a lush cloud of sound.  “Let’s All Be Free” arrives in flute fanfares from Cevhar as Bob establishes a hypnotic, circular, never-changing piano raga beneath Mariam’s beautiful, melancholic melody.  Today’s show finishes with the slow burn of “Just Being”, a powerful Native-Afro-Cuban piece that presents each player’s strengths in a fiery instrumental and vocal display.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #506 is an hour of acoustic visionary improvisational music played by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, Celtic harp, acoustic guitar and 4- and 8-string ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drums.  Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, in October of 2022, today’s episode begins with the meditative “Witness”, a gorgeous, languid piece built on Bob’s circular chords and Mariam’s evocative poetry and soaring Native flute.  “In The Comfort Of The Stillness” is a lovely minor folk ballad built around Mariam’s acoustic guitar and flowing lyrics and “Brilliant In The Light” segues into a sparse, bittersweet tone poem that floats in stillness, filled with gentle space and Mariam’s hypnotic vocal.  Mariam plays her chiming 8-string ukulele for the gorgeous, spiraling “The Open Window”, a pretty, delicate love song and “Visitation From Heaven” arrives on a cloud of swirling piano and ukulele until it solidifies into a pretty, open groove with Craig’s steady conga work.  “Celebrate The Forest” is a gentle, mystical prayer of gratitude, full of striking images of nature and “Angels And Eagles” closes today’s hour with a sparse, evocative, whispering tone poem built around Mariam’s caressing Celtic harp.  
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #505 is an hour of compelling musical improvisation by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, Celtic harp, acoustic guitar, ukulele and shruti box, Cevher Demirel on congas, Celtic harp, vocals and flute and Bob Sherwood on piano, vocals and tabla.  Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in October of 2022, today’s show eases into being with the meditative “Fire Transforms”, a hypnotic piece featuring an inspired poem from Mariam above a spacious groove of piano and congas.  “Listen To The Trees” is a delicate, drifting ballad based around Mariam’s journeying acoustic guitar and featuring lyrical flute from Cevher and “Reborn” from Mariam’s “Gaea Star Crystal” album is given a singularly powerful airing with a powerful vocal from Mariam.  Bob then leads the band through an airtight, driving rendition of his new song “Coming Home”, featuring Mariam’s excellent native flute.  “We’re Rising” is a delicate raga built on a foundation of Cevher’s gently propulsive Celtic harp and Mariam’s foundational shruti box.  The band stretches and morphs until arriving at “May We All Realize Our True Colors”, a lush and expressive song that Mariam brings to life with her chiming ukulele and evocative vocal as Bob teases a gospel framework into the arrangement.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #504 is an hour of visionary acoustic improv music recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, in early October 2022.  Today the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, dulcimer, Celtic harp and shruti box, Bob Sherwood on piano, Craig Harris on Native drums and congas and Cevher Demirel on flute and bongos are joined by two special guests, from Vermont Elishalom Adama on vocals and 6- and 12-string acoustic guitar and from Boston, Marty Levin on harmonica and vocals.  Today’s show begins with the sprightly raga “Sweet Place Of Love” featuring a fine vocal from Mariam, lovely harmonica from Marty and fine acoustic guitar playing from Adam.  “Dive Into Your Dreams” is a lush, eastern drone piece driven by Mariam’s shruti box with imaginative contributions from Adam on guitar and Bob on piano.  This evocative, sprawling piece incorporates jazz and funk as it develops and Adam adds a fine contribution on vocals sung in Hebrew.  “Breath In Life By The River” is a mystical ode to the forest featuring lyrical flute from Cevher and “Cultivate Your Rhythm” is an intense raga honoring nature and plant medicine with fine vocals from Marty and Mariam. 
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #503 is a vibrant hour of visionary acoustic improvisational music featuring the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, Celtic harp, acoustic guitar, harmonica, dulcimer and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano, Cevher Demirel on flute and bongos and Craig Harris on Native drums and congas.  Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in late September 2022, today’s episode begins with the beautiful, atmospheric “You Are At Peace”, a delicate piece built around Mariam’s Celtic harp strums and spiritual poetry decorated with evocative flute runs from Cevher.  “Dream On” is a mystical journey built on racing, delicate piano ostinatos, gorgeous, leaping melodies from Mariam, dramatic Native drum and compelling flute work and “Oh Let’s Renew” is a lovely, shaded folk ballad that drifts like an autumn reverie on pillows of Native and Western flute runs from Mariam and Cevher.  Mariam drives the powerful “Misty Clouds Sailing By” with minor chords from her ukulele as Cevher and Craig set up a driving, powerful groove with dark, elemental Native drum and sharp, syncopated bongos.  “Castle In The Sky” is the centerpiece, the high point of today’s show and creates a celestial tonal language with Bob’s piano setting up a pleasantly obsessive series of parallel major chords as Mariam outlines the ensuing melodies with Native flute fanfares.  Craig and Cevher again provide a full, driving rhythm from stereo left and right respectively.  Today’s final piece is the lush, sprawling, unhurried raga “Gonna Let It Go”, a loose framework that supports a long, expansive conversation between Mariam’s vocal and harmonica and Cevher’s lush, modal flute passages.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal #502 is an hour of visionary acoustic improv music featuring the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, 4- and 8-string ukulele, harmonica and Celtic harp, Bob Sherwood on piano, Craig Harris on congas and Native drums and Chefar adsfadsf on flute and bongos.  Recorded live in mid-September 2022 at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, today’s installment begins with the impressionistic, floating tone poem “Pot Of Gold”, an abstract meditation driven by Mariam’s gently flowing Celtic harp and beautiful vocal.  “I Am The Fire” is a gorgeous, Eastern European flavored song with evocative flute from Chefar and a lovely vocal from Mariam and “Sweet Serenity” is a beautifully chorded song with fine contributions from the whole band supporting Mariam’s mysterious, inspired lyric.  “May Miracles Unfold” begins as a blues driven by Mariam’s chiming 8-string ukulele before taking an unexpected turn into gorgeous, floating balladry with more lyrical flute work from Chefar above Craig’s steady conga work.  “Rising” keeps the blues promise teased at in the former song with down home harmonica work from Mariam over Bob’s uptown blues turnarounds.  “May We All Be Ready To Greet The Day With Love” concludes today’s show in a sprawling, bucolic raga underpinned by Mariam’s shruti box and lovely flute passages from Chefar in a piece that ranges far and wide, visiting myriad styles and moods to end today’s show on a creative highpoint.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com