Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #371 Part Two was recorded at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington Massachusetts in September 2019 and is an hour of visionary acoustic improv 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 drums.  Today’s show begins with the languid “Imanayo”, an gentle, sweet song that invites us to stand in our power with grace and light.  “Reclaiming The Blessings Of The World” is grooving, jazzy song driven by Mariam’s driving acoustic guitar and a fine conga performance from Craig and “Grace Of The Midnight Moon” is a delicate, native/classical hybrid, a lush ballad that showcases Mariam’s native flute and imaginative piano from Bob.  “Stay In Your Own Vibration” is a skipping, driving song built around Mariam’s sprightly ukulele which begins in a light folk vein and gradually shifts into a driving, jazz and afro-cuban based jam that showcases Bob’s speedy, virtuosic piano.  We return to a stately, balladic vibe with the gospel influenced “Oh Rain”, another beautiful piece that features spacious, lyrical native flute from Mariam and “The Dawn Is Calling Me” floats with a lovely, gentle lilt, bringing to an end another varied and inspired hour of unpremeditated, lyrical music.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com
 

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #271 was recorded with the Gaea Star Band and special guests Gabriel Howearth on percussion and Dave Davenport on tamboura. We present an hour of acoustic live lunar improvisation from the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, native flute, percussion, ukulele and acoustic guitar, Craig Harris on tamboura, congas and balaphone and Bob Sherwood on piano and congas. Today’s first piece is the lush, expansive raga “Light Of The Summer Sun” led by Craig’s percussive tamboura and Mariam’s elemental vocals and native flute. For “ “ some musical chairs take place with Bob moving to piano, Craig to congas and Dave Davenport bringing the lush, low drone on tamboura for the dramatic, visionary “Oh The Moon”. A long, contemplative piece led by Mariam’s mystical vocals, “Oh The Moon” flows on a slowly unfolding melodic motif from the piano that meshes hypnotically with drums and tamboura in a dramatic 15 minute journey. The ensemble flows effortlessly into a western harmonic mode with the beautiful major chords of “La Luna”, a piece that features a beautiful, inspired vocal from Mariam along with her chiming acoustic guitar. An aching piano figure provides an anchor for this spacious, unhurried song. “River Of Moonlight” is a calm, lovely ballad filled with cascading percussion and electronic touches. Mariam provides a pretty vocal full of the silvery lunar prayers that define today’s flowing series of pieces. “Rhythm Of Love” leans towards jazzy gospel with a strong conga backing from Craig complementing Mariam’s chiming guitar chords.

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #254 features the Gaea Star Band as well as very special guests Amanda Potluck on vocals and Justus Conant on 6- and 12- string acoustic guitars and vocals. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, today’s set begins with an unbroken 40-minute suite of three pieces beginning with the gently elegiac “Right Before My Eyes”, an ode to opening flowers from Mariam with gorgeous flowing melodies from both Mariam and Amanda. A climactic countermelody section segues into the mystical “Windows Of Air”, a mid-tempo minor meditation with more effective and affecting braiding, circling vocals from Mariam and Amanda, imaginative piano from Bob and lyrical native flute work from Mariam. The third piece in today’s extended tryptich is the earthy, powerful “It’s Coming Down To How We Walk On This Holy Ground”, a song of admiration and support for the water protectors of North Dakota, featuring especially potent, bluesy vocals and lyrics from Amanda who stood with the protectors at the beginning of the winter. A powerful spoken section from Mariam brings the piece to its conclusion. Next up we feature three songs by Justus from his Bleu Collar Pirates project, the sardonic folk-rock of “Saint Arne’s Day” and the pro-immigration anthem “Night In The Mojave”, punctuated by tart flamenco guitar runs from Bob Sherwood on acoustic guitar. The third and final song from this set from Justus is the wrenching, beautiful “Goodbye”. We close today with Bob leading the group through an intense reading of Roxy Music’s deeply romantic 1980 classic “My Only Love”.