Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

This week on Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #455 we present an hour of visionary improvised acoustic music with the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, ukulele and Celtic harp, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drums.  Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in August of 2021, today’s show begins with the serene, flowing “Growing Tall And Strong”, a lovely, evocative prayer featuring a fine vocal and gorgeous native flute passages from Mariam.  This compelling piece moves through several moods until the band alights on the groovy folk gospel epic “Open To The Mystery” featuring another exemplary vocal from Mariam, deeply felt congas from Craig and imaginative, mobile piano work from Bob.  Moving into a faster ragtime vibe, the band launches into “Oh To The Rain”.  A slow, deliberate transition to modern minimalism underpinned by Bob’s obsessive piano provides a stage for a compelling conversation between Mariam and her Native flute.  “Oh To The Moon” is another hypnotic, dreamlike contemplation featuring Mariam on her sweeping Celtic harp, and we finish the show today with the beautiful, stately ballad “La Luna”, a gorgeous and prayerful piece that expresses the openness of the night sky.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #454 is an hour of acoustic visionary improvisational music featuring the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, native flute, acoustic guitar, celtic harp, ukulele and dulcimer, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on piano.  Recorded live in August 2021 at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, today’s show begins with the languid, spring-soaked “Awakening Into Crystalline Vibrations” led by Mariam’s vocal, native flute and celtic harp.  “Calling The One” is a mystical, swirling groove featuring a lush, repeating piano figure from Bob under Mariam’s lovely vocal and “Lovely” finds Mariam picking up her tenor ukulele for an unusually driving piece build around lush mideastern modes.  “It Doesn’t Matter” is a beautiful minor key ballad driven by Mariam’s chiming acoustic guitar.  Next up is “Keep Our Love In Sight”, a pretty nursery rhyme led by Mariam’s delicately percussive dulcimer and skipping congas from Craig.  We finish up today with a classic song from Mariam, the meditative, compelling “Sail On” from the Visionquest cd.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Today on Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #453 the Gaea Star Band welcomes very special guest, singer/songwriter AJ Kiernan who presents some of her brilliant, poignant songs and helps the band ace some versions of Mariam’s songs.  With Mariam Massaro on vocals, ukulele, acoustic guitar and Native flute, Craig Harris on congas and Native drums, Bob Sherwood on piano and AJ on vocals, acoustic guitar and ukulele, today’s show begins with a driving, tight, precise take of Mariam’s song “Distant Star” featuring fine acoustic guitar from AJ before she sings her beautiful, powerful “Find Me” with the band providing a whole lot of character.  Back to Mariam for her lush song “One More Day” here delivered with a relaxed, inviting confidence as Mariam drives the groove with her acoustic guitar and AJ syncopates on her six string ukulele.  The band then kicks into a gorgeous, reggae-folk powerhouse of a version of Mariam’s “Shamiyaya” that features a fine rhythm section and a great vocal from Mariam.  AJ presents her heavily swinging “There’s Got To Be” with a gorgeous vocal and bluesy native flute and piano from Mariam and Bob.  AJ sings her incredibly affecting “Just Like You” next, an exquisite country-gospel ballad that features AJ’s gorgeous vocal, harmonies and fine Native flute from Mariam, stately gospel piano from Bob and a heartbeat pulse from Craig.  Next up is Mariam’s mystical “Feast In The Forest”, a midnight tale told ‘round a fire with a myth beautifully sung by Mariam over a fundamental, earthy groove.  AJ’s driving protest song “Right Or Wrong” is given a powerful treatment by the band to wrap up today’s varied and deeply evocative show.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #452 was recorded on a hot, humid July afternoon in 2021 at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington Massachusetts, and is an hour of visionary acoustic improvisational music featuring the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals and today playing shruti box, ukulele, Native flute and acoustic guitar, Craig Harris playing congas and Native drums and Bob Sherwood playing piano and bass guitar. The band begins with the unusually lovely and evocative “In The Ways Of Light”, a brisk minor vibe with a gorgeous melody from Mariam.  “Listen To The Rain” is a beautiful, mysterious raga with imaginative Hindustani figurations from Bob on piano over Mariam’s solemn shruti box drone.  Mariam’s vocal is deeply spiritual and impassioned, punctuated by ghostly Native flute melodies.  “Bless Your Life” is again underpinned with prayerful shruti box from Mariam as well as Native flute in this beautiful, percolating love song to Mariam’s celestial twin flame Ashento.  “Unravel” is a lilting, gorgeous summer ballad with a beautiful, prayerful vocal from Mariam over a steady, veiled rhythm section and “Sail Into The Universe”, taken from the “Smooth Sailin’ Love Songs” CD is a beautiful love song here given a precise, polished reading.  We finish today with one of Mariam’s finest environmental anthems, the stately “Restore” from the “Vision Quest” album.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #451 is an hour of acoustic visionary improvisation music recorded by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, shruti box, Celtic harp, acoustic 6 and 12 string guitars and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and bass guitar and Craig Harris on congas and Native drums.  Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio, Worthington Massachusetts in July 2021, today’s show begins with the pretty, brief folk pop song “Round And Round We Go” and quickly moves into “As We Sail”, a lovely, somber minor key ballad that features a lovely vocal from Mariam.  “Mandavia” is a spacious piece of flowing modern minimalist music that provides a backdrop for Mariam’s folk tale. Interspersed with lyrical Native flute and imaginative piano motifs, “Mandavia” eventually gives way to the drifting, raga-like “Sea Of Love” featuring Mariam’s dronetuned Martin 12-string acoustic.  For the groovy “Mermaids”, Bob picks up the electric bass guitar to provide a low end mantra to support Mariam’s exotic shruti box and Craig’s tribal Native drum.  “Move On” finds Mariam moving to the piano for a lovely, meditative piece underpinned by Craig’s steady congas and more bass guitar from Bob.  A brisk, percussion-rich take of “Thunderbeings” from the “Vision Quest” CD closes the show today with a burst of stormy energy.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #450 is an hour of visionary acoustic improv music recorded by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, harmonica, shruti box, ukulele and sitar, Bob Sherwood on piano and tabla and Craig Harris on congas and Native drums.  Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington Massachusetts in July 2021, today’s show begins with the grooving rainy summer celebration “For The Cool Down”, a rocking workout driven by Craig and Bob on Native drums and tabla supporting Mariam’s evocative lyric and fine, energized native flute.  Bob moves to the piano to lay down a simple funk left hand as Mariam steps into the space with ever-more assertive flute passages.  Pretty, open piano and bluesy harmonica introduce the lovely “I Am That I Am”, a gorgeous ballad underpinned by Mariam’s droning shruti box and “Wind Whistling Through The Window” is a peaceful study of a drifting day with a lovely vocal from Mariam over a fine backdrop of piano, congas and ukulele.  “Day Lilies Rising High” is another summer celebration, this team featuring rolling, bluesy piano from Bob and a lovely tale of magic realism from Mariam.  “I Am Healed by the Peaceful Morning” is a drifting, psychedelic dream with an insistent gospel motif from Bob underpinning a lovely lyric of praise from Mariam.  Mariam plays her beautiful 8 string ukulele for the dreamy “Golden Sun” is a celebration of Mother Earth in high summer, and drifts along with pretty piano ostinatos under Mariam’s evocative vocal.  We finish today’s show with an expansive raga called “The Mystery Of Life” as Mariam plays her sitar at the center of a percussion-rich dancelike piece.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #449 is an hour of visionary acoustic improv music created by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on lead vocals, Native flute, Celtic harp and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drums.  Recorded live in June 2021 at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, today’s show begins with the hypnotic summer raga “Reweaving A New Life”, a lush, trance-like mantra featuring lovely vocals and Native flute from Mariam.  “Returning To Radiance” begins as a playful, psychedelic ragtime featuring a narrative vocal from Mariam before shifting into a mystical, hypnotic Arabic mode expressing reverence to nature and to source.  “Sultry Days” maintains the tempo while moving into a lush, evocative, romantic theme before morphing into the endless, circular, intoxicating “Lessons Of Divine”.  “Ancient Ones” serves as a centerpiece to today’s exploration and is a rapturously extended piece that explores and morphs with gorgeous, generous Native flute passages from Mariam over classical and Eastern piano cadences.  We finish today with the midsummery, hazy “Dehileea”, a gorgeous, dramatic, jazz-influenced art song led by Mariam’s beautiful vocal and 8-string ukulele.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Today’s edition of the Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour, #448, features the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, acoustic guitar, ukulele, native flute and sitar, Robin Rooney on djimbe, percussion and vocals, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and native drums.  Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, today’s visionary improvisational excursion begins with the energized “Oh There’s Always Hope”, a powerful song of hope and unity featuring an impassioned vocal from Mariam.  Next is “Tommy Tammy”, a song of love and gratitude with a pretty ukulele and vocals from Mariam and Robin and rolling, gospel-inflected piano from Bob.  “Smooth Me Down” is a gospel ballad with a mesmerizing piano figure from Bob and an inspired vocal from Mariam, and “Lady Slipper Day” is a lush, hallucinatory ballad of summer beauty framed in delicate piano filigree and Mariam’s sweet vocal.  “To The Castles Of Our Dreams” is a gorgeous, mystical ballad and “I Am Renewed” is a free, expansive epic featuring lush passages of native flute and piano.  We finish today’s show with “Stars Upon The Earth”, a raga carried by Mariam’s mystical sitar and a dark piano figure from Bob.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #447 is an hour of visionary acoustic improv music featuring the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, celtic harp, Native flute, acoustic guitar, harmonica and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano, Craig Harris on congas and Native drums and today’s very special guest, NYC-based blues/jazz singer Ptah Brown. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in June 2021, today’s show begins with the epic “Weaving”, an ambitious and multifaceted improvisation featuring imaginative contributions from everyone in the band.  “Diamond Eyes” is a gorgeous, mystical meditation and “Happy To Let It Flow” is a driving, buoyant, joyous piece of folk with a lovely vocal from Mariam and fine contributions for Ptah on vocals.  “Reborn” is a classic song of Mariam’s, and the band give it an intense, driven, focused treatment with great vocals from Mariam and Ptah.  “Queen Of Love” is another song of Mariam’s from the “Gaea Star Goddesses” album and is also treated to an intense reading with the band today.  We finish with a classic blues, “Standing On The Sand Dunes”, giving Ptah a chance to stretch her muscles on this energized show.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #446 is an hour of improvised visionary acoustic music played by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, ukulele, Native flute and shruti box, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drums.  Recorded at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, today’s episode begins with the sprightly, upbeat “If You Believe So”, an uplifting folk songs driven by Mariam’s chiming ukulele.  “Oh The River Is Calling” is a compelling psychedelic groove with an Indian flavor and “What A Way” is a bluesy song driven by a steady piano figure and driving congas from Craig.  “Every Time” is a sweet, Beatlesque ballad with a gorgeous vocal and lyrical Native flute from Mariam, a rich song with several directions and permutations.  “Ryalia” is a mystical folk song from Mariam’s “Release” album, here given a powerful, tight rendition.  Also from the “Release album”, “Distant Star” is presented with a sparse, gorgeous steady groove underpinned by Mariam’s steady ukulele.  “This Is The Way” blooms from the ending tendrils of “Distant Star” and “Beyond The Realm” is a gorgeous, sprawling raga epic built around the drone of Mariam’s shruti box and featuring a beautiful melody from Mariam.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com