Friday Aug 23, 2024
Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #585
Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #585 is an hour of visionary acoustic improvised music played by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, 12-string acoustic guitar, mandolin, harmonica, Celtic harp and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and percussion, Craig Harris on Native drum and congas and special guest, prominent Turkish folk musician Ludimirra Ozdemir on vocals and oud. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts, in mid-August of 2024, today’s show begins with the swirling, mystical “It’s Just That Way”, an evocative ode to inevitability driven by Mariam’s chiming mandolin and Bob’s circular piano figures. “Tell Me Your Story” is a beautiful minor key folk ballad featuring a fine vocal from Mariam and upbeat, driving congas from Craig and “Like The River” is a staid, open gospel ballad with a fine vocal from Mariam above Bob’s reverent gospel piano. Ludimirra joins us on his mournful, expressive oud for the droning, mystical “Nectar”, a beautiful nature prayer from Mariam underpinned by her alternate-tuned Martin 12-string guitar. “Dum Gedje Se Irimde” introduces the gorgeous, otherworldly music of Ludimirra to today’s show. The piece is a beautifully overcast ballad placed in an Eastern drone with a fine, poetic vocal. The ensemble again enriches one of Ludimirra’s mystical original pieces, this one entitled “To Practam O Sirimush, Sirimush”. This piece expands and intensifies immeasurably with powerful work from piano, harmonica, congas, 12-string and Native flute. “Let’s All Circle Around The World In Piece” stretches and draws the eastern D drone of the preceding extended modal workout with western harmonic touches and suggestions from Bob’s piano supporting Mariam’s reverent poetry. The ensemble eases into Mariam’s extended coda “To The Oak, Standing So Tall”, a lush, expressive poem carried on light, stretching touches of gossamer from the instrumentalists. We conclude today’s show with the powerful, affecting, piano-led “Yemanja”, a piece that sums up today’s threads and directions using Mariam’s evocative song from her “Gaea Star Goddesses” album.
Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com