Friday Aug 09, 2024
Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #583
Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #583 is an hour of inspired, visionary acoustic improvised music featuring the Gaea Star Band and special guests with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, steel-string and nylon-string acoustic guitar, ukulele and shruti box, Bob Sherwood on piano and vocals, Craig Harris on Native drum and congas, Robin Rooney on vocals and djembe and Ludimirra Osdemir on Oud and vocals. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in mid-July of 2024, today’s show begins with the hypnotizing “Circle Of Light”, a rich, meditative and poetic piece with fine vocals from Mariam and Robin. “Return” is a lush, spiritual raga based on Mariam’s droning shruti box and decorated with fine harmonic work from Ludimirra and Bob and solid, syncopating drumming from Robin and Craig. “Enjoy Life” is a spirited, mystical, electronic piece with fine Native flute passages from Mariam and affecting Oud playing from Ludimirra. Next we accompany Ludimirra as he presents his gorgeous “Ela Ciozlu Pirim Geldi”, a fantastic original Turkish folk song that seems to cascade languidly as The Gaea Star Band adds touches of flute, piano, percussion. “Serving Eternally” is a powerful raga with a booming pulse and a gorgeous, sweeping melody passed back and forth between Mariam and Robin as Ludimirra improvises mystical melodies that braid craftily through the piece. “Fire In My Belly” and “We Call In The Elements” are spiritual anthems from Mariam’s “Vision Quest” LP and the band presents energized, rich, expansive versions of each with adventurous instrumental features passed back and forth between the players. The ensemble then creates a powerful, hypnotic groove with Bob’s original song “Coming Home”, a beautiful, languid conversation between Bob’s rich voice and Mariam’s soaring Native flute given depth from each player. We complete today’s varied, compelling hour with a lush, mysterious take of Mariam’s “Water” that references the original formalist classical structure before being swept into a rich, eastern-flavored desert rain prayer ballad raga.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com