Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #638

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #638 is an hour of visionary acoustic improvised music played by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, ukulele, dulcimer, harmonica and double flute, Bob Sherwood on vocals and piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. Today we are delighted to be joined with the very talented brothers Chris and Rob Griffin, with Rob playing fiddle and mandolin and singing and Chris singing and handling acoustic guitar duties. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in mid-September of 2025, the band eases into the show with two raga-like numbers from Mariam, “Smile” and “Happy I Am”. Rich and deeply improvisatory, “Smile” is driven briskly by Mariam’s energized vocal and chiming dulcimer while Rob provides color with his fiddle and Chris and Bob provide a compelling plagal cadence framework on acoustic guitar and piano. “Happy I Am” continues the “Smile” lineup, supporting Mariam’s the lovely, simple lyric of this exemplary, beautiful song from Mariam. “The Ballad Of Belfast Bay” is a fantastic folk waltz from the Griffin brothers with Rob on lead vocals and fiddle and Chris on acoustic guitar and Rob harmonizing as only brothers can as Craig, Mariam and Bob provide musical support. Chris takes the lead on his original number “Way Out West With A.T. Doe”, a driving minor country rock song featuring epic fiddle work from Rob and fine contributions from the ensemble. Next up is Mariam’s “Room Of Doubt”, a blues rock number that smolders with Mariam’s fine vocal and powerful work from the ensemble, particularly from Rob who picks up his mandolin for the smoldering workout. “Room Of Doubt” opens into a gorgeous coda with Mariam conversing with her sweeping, evocative Native flute over affecting piano ostinatos from Bob that veer from classical to fatfinger blues and gorgeous violin runs from Rob Griffin. Chris Griffin steps back up to the mic with his beautiful, soulful “Set Her Free”, a fine 70s-soul-flavored ballad with sensitive, additive contributions from all, particularly Rob with his bittersweet violin lines. “Pele” is a powerful island song by Mariam that the band sets on fire to a degree that would impress its namesake with bottomless enthusiasm from the ensemble and “Gypsy” is another exemplary song from Mariam cast by the band as a moonlit Romani reel filled with soaring violin runs and incendiary piano. The song detonates into a powerful, driving coda as Mariam’s vocal and then her eerie, midnight double flute overtones dance with Rob’s violin above the racing, yet focused and emphatic ensemble. A highlight. Bob comes forward to close the show with his rock gospel number “Coming Home” delivering a powerful vocal over a hypnotic, minimalist ensemble sprinkled with compelling violin lines from Rob and affecting, lilting vocalisms and Native flute from Mariam.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #637

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #637 is an hour of intrepid, visionary acoustic improv music played and sung by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, acoustic guitar, mandolin, double flutes, ukulele and Native flute, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. Recorded live in early September of 2025, today begins with a live rendition of one of Mariam’s finest songs, “This Is The Way”, taken at an energized pace and featuring a fine vocal from Mariam. “Farewell To Summer” is a gorgeous, extended piece with another striking vocal from Mariam and energized, inspired work from the ensemble and “Lunalya” is a gorgeous ballad about an interstellar unicorn that begins with a fanfare from Mariam’s overtone-generating double flutes before developing into a beautiful ballad underpinned with earthy heartbeat drum from Craig. “Flower Of Life” is a stately piece with inspired gospel piano from Bob and a beautiful, evocative vocal and Native flute conversation from Mariam. “Gather Together”, another of Mariam’s finest songs, is presented with a spacious, wide, operatic sound stage that creates an elegant space for Mariam’s high, Apollonian poetry and “Ode To Mother Earth” is a sprawling, multi-movement that begins as a sparse, mandolin-based pop song and gradually develops into a mystical, raga-like mantra with a particularly powerful spiritual presence with grooving congas and imaginative piano backing Mariam’s epic vocal poetry and Native flute passages.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #636

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #636 is a unique and compelling hour of visionary acoustic improvised music played by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, double flute, dulcimer, mandolin, harmonica, kalimba, acoustic guitar and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. We are joined today by special guests David Morningstar on background vocals and acoustic guitar and on the last track Eve Cristoph on backing vocals. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in early September of 2025, today’s show begins with the pretty, ancient-sounding “Dive Deep To Reach Your Soul’s True Longing”, a skipping forest song with dancing dulcimer and mystical Native flute passages from Mariam and “Count Your Blessings, Keep Shining Bright” is a driving, blustery rock song with imaginative piano and an inspiring lyric from Mariam over Craig’s driving congas. The Track enters an extended coda with Mariam playing her mysterious double flute, a unique instrument that creates audible overtones in a miasma of harmony. “All Life Is Sacred” is another acoustic rock number with a distant Andean flare and an affecting vocal from Mariam and “Living On The Holy Ground” is a bright, skipping, sunny folk song driven by Maram’s chiming mandolin and evocative, distant droning vocals from Daniel over gospel piano and steady congas from Craig. “Breath Together” has a suspended blues flavor and begins with a conversation between Mariam’s harmonica and her inspired poetry as it blooms into a powerful, spacious gospel song before segueing into a second movement, “Open The Windows To Receive”, a sparse but sophisticated tone poem set to the heartbeat thump of Craig’s Native drum and bittersweet, iconic piano. For the final section “Keep On Dreaming We Can Change The World” with Daniel joining Mariam for the anthemic chorus. Eve Cristoph joins Mariam on vocals for today’s beautiful closer, the ocean anthem “Yemanja” a mystical mermaid goddess song featuring exemplary work from the whole ensemble.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #635

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #635 is an hour of visionary acoustic improvised music played by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, double flute, nylon string guitar, acoustic guitar, kalimba and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in late August of 2025, today’s show begins with the rocking extended minor blues of “Standing Ones Of Peace”, a powerful prayer to the great trees of the Northeast featuring scorching work from the ensemble with Mariam’s fine vocal supported by her tight ukulele as well as busy, riffing, peppery blues piano from Bob and Craig’s heartbeat Native drum. “Arise” is a beautiful, energetic folk song from the “Release” album with skipping ukulele, dancing piano and groovy congas framing Mariam’s upbeat soprano melody and “Spirit Of The Forest” from the “Vision Quest” album begins as a reverent, open prayer and gradually coalesces into a driving, powerful, melodic ode to the forest. For the spacious, compelling coda Mariam plays her new double flute, an instrument that creates two flute notes and an overtone, resulting in lush, rich harmonies. “The Black Moon” is a hypnotic ballad interspersed with powerful Native flute passages and a languid, beautiful melody from Mariam and “Bestowing Blessings” is as driving, powerful anthem with fine piano soloing work from Bob and tight accompaniment from the ensemble for Mariam’s powerful, expressive vocal. “Twin Flame” from the “Smooth Sailin’ Love Songs” LP is a mystical, reverent song with a classical vibe and another fine vocal from Mariam. The epic “Holding Our Voices” closes today’s show with an extended journey through a summer day featuring Native flute fanfares that cascade through various harmonic tendrils explored and evolved by Bob’s restless piano.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #634

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #634 is an hour of languid, mystical visionary acoustic improvised music brought to you by Mariam Massaro and Bob Sherwood of the Gaea Star Band with Mariam on vocals, Native flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin, ukulele, sitar and shruti box and Bob on piano and tabla. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in late August of 2025, today’s show finds Mariam strumming her sitar for the mysterious, subcontinental drone “Completely”, a raga that flows with a languid, dreamlike rhythm. “Deep Inside My Heart” is a beautiful, deeply felt ballad underpinned by Mariam’s caressing acoustic guitar and lush, legato piano passages and “Listen To Your Spirit” begins as a pretty, open folk song built on chiming ukulele and Mariam’s fine, focused vocal before opening into a long, varied series of movements that beguile with their richness and variety. “Secrets Revealed” finds Mariam switching to her bell-like mandolin for this pretty, mysterious minor reel lit with racing, dancing piano and another imaginative, intense vocal from Mariam. “Let’s Inspire Humanity” is another mystical, spacious acoustic guitar ballad with an inspired vocal from Mariam above Bob’s rich piano arpeggios and “Living Our Truth” is a positive message contained in a musical container that gradually grows from intimate to cinematic with rich, repeating, mutating motifs. We complete today’s show with a deeply-felt, languid take of Mariam’s “Restore” from the Vision Quest LP.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #633

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #633 is an hour of visionary improvised acoustic music recorded by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin, ukulele and shruti box, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in early August of 2025, today’s show begins with sprightly, upbeat versions of two of Mariam’s songs from her “Release” LP, the mystical “Distant Star” and the meditative prayer to life “One More Day”. “Oya Thunderqueen” is a rock ‘n’ roll blues from Mariam’s “Gaea Star Goddesses” LP and “Your Eyes Shine” is a deep, emotional love song from the “Smooth Sailin’ Love Songs” LP played with passion and intensity from the ensemble. We move into the richly improvisatory portion of today’s show with a flourish of Native flute and deep Native drum with “Keep Holding The Fire Deep Within”, a gorgeous, mystical piece that develops into a soaring piano and Native flute sonata with a rich, classical feel. “We Have To Change Just a Little Bit More” develops from the forest song of Mariam’s beautiful poetry and soaring Native flute to a gorgeous jazz/classical exploration, rich, varied and evocative. “Rings Of Fire” is a fantastical raga with a wide-ranging, reverent vocal from Mariam with underpinning from her shruti box drone, imaginative, active piano from Bob and heartbeat drums from Craig. “Oh The Sweet Mother Earth” is a dancing, rhythmically complex song with a soaring vocal from Mariam above her chiming ukulele, breathless, percussive piano and skipping congas. Today’s show completes with the deep and mysterious “Beyond The Veils Of Unbelief” an unusual song about magic and magical creatures, a story told by Mariam with her wide-ranging, energized vocal. The ensemble of mandolin, congas and piano is intense and imaginative, medieval and modern, flowing effortlessly between major and minor.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #632

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #632 was recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, MA, in early August of 2025 and is an hour of visionary improvisational music featuring the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, native flute, acoustic guitar and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. Today’s first piece is the uplifting folk round “Voices Of Dissent” featuring a driving drum section from Craig and an inspiring lyric from Mariam. Next up is the swirling, mystical “Listen, The Toads Are Singing”, an intoxicating, surreal tone poem with an imaginative lyric from Mariam and portentous piano from Bob. “Oh, Beautiful Ones” is a lush ballad decorated with an unusual, compelling piano figure from Bob and gorgeous native flute fanfares from Mariam, and “Lead Me Down” is a beautiful take on Mariam’s track from the “Release” LP that grows in intensity until it releases in a powerful native groove. Mariam plugs in her acoustic guitar for the classic “Spirit Of Fire”, here given a driving, powerful rendition with muscular percussion and quick, nimble piano. “Ryalia”, is a lovely, sprightly take of Mariam’s classic forest song that features a fine vocal and busy, dead-on ukulele. “Bless” is a spacious piece of flowing modern minimalist music that provides a backdrop for Mariam’s soaring vocals and Native flute. “So Alive” closes today’s show and is a powerful, rich, upbeat track with gorgeous Native flute journeys.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #631

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #631 is an hour of compelling, visionary acoustic improvised music played by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin, ukulele and harmonica, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on Native drum and congas. Recorded live in late July of 2025 at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, today’s show begins with the hallucinatory, hazy summer anthem “Love Is The Holy Sacred Way”, an energetic minor workout with a soaring vocal and a gorgeous, unusual coda of soaring Native flute, heartbeat drum and lush, imaginative key cycles on the piano. “Deep Inside Is The Divine” is a deep blues with earthy harmonica and Ray Charles influenced piano work and “In Your Doorway” is a fantastical, breathless mandolin-driven rocker with a fine vocal and skipping congas. This piece codas into another panoramic Native flute coda called “Humaya”, an intense, focused accompaniment from the ensemble that reintroduces Mariam’s vocal in a deeply spiritual, chanting poem. “Flowing Like Spirit” is an affecting acoustic guitar ballad with a wistful, gentle vocal from Mariam and “Flowers Of Delight” from Mariam’s “Release” LP is presented with a serene, mystical vibe that supports a particularly fine vocal and soaring Native flute from Mariam. “Blessed By Every Delight (In The Grandest Union)” is another playful, mesmerizing, skipping mandolin-driven reel that evokes the deep forest to conclude today’s hour.  
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #630

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #630 is an hour of dynamic, visionary acoustic improvised music played by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, harmonica, acoustic guitar, 4- and 8-string ukulele, dulcimer and mandolin, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in mid-July of 2025, today’s show begins with the laid-back, calming raga “All Our Dreams”, a spacious piece with fine vocals, chiming dulcimer and imaginative, energized piano that gives way to the mystical, darkly beautiful “Agapanthus In The Time Of Great Change”, a powerful flower prayer carried by Mariam’s tight, busy ukulele, throbbing congas and Bob’s evocative ostinato piano, that opens up into a lush, extended Native flute and vocal showpiece. “Let’s Care For One Another Deep Down” is a pretty, relaxed acoustic guitar ballad with a delicate, emotional vocal and “Standing Strong Holding To The Vision Of The Peace Train” is an energized folk song with steady congas and driving ukulele. “All Is Well” is a peaceful, relaxed island song featuring Mariam’s expressive ukulele and a fine, languid vocal and “Thank You For Life On A Summer Day” is a clever, gently driving blues workout with fine piano from Bob and harmonica from Mariam. A signature Native flute fanfare from Mariam ushers in the emotional “Filling Each Others’ Hearts”, a lovely, rich, unhurried ballad that ranges through various moods before settling into the “Romance” theme from Prokofiev’s “Lieutenant Kije” suite to close today’s session.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #629

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #629 is an hour of dynamic, visionary improvised music and song played and sung by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, acoustic guitar, ukulele, mandolin and shruti box, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on Native drum and congas. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, today’s journey begins with the powerful “Life Is Like A River”, a beautifully simple folk song with a fine vocal from Mariam and “Let’s All Be Free To Make A Wish” is a languid, lilting and bittersweet piece sung and played powerfully and with deep emotion. “Lady Of The Lake” begins with a gorgeous, affecting flute fanfare before blooming into a beautiful fantasy full of melody, space and harmonic grace, a cathedral built of sound to support Mariam’s languid conversation of hypnotizing lyric and soaring flute. “Path Of Peace” is a return to expressive folk with a fine, nostalgic melody and “River Of Peace” is a lush, spacious, patient raga built upon Mariam’s sighing shruti box and Craig’s heartbeat drum as Bob’s piano visits both East and West. “I’m Walking” finds Mariam strumming her chiming, assertive mandolin as the ensemble builds a mysterious minor fantasy to support the powerful, mystical vocal and we conclude today’s show with a beautifully intense rendition of Mariam’s “Calling Us Home” from the “Release” album, all soaring vocal and impetuous, ambitious work from the ensemble.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com