Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #572 is an hour of dynamic visionary acoustic improvised music played live by the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, ukulele, acoustic guitar, kalimba, mandolin and Celtic harp, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on Native drum and congas.  Today’s show was recorded in early April of 2024 at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts and begins with the majestic waltz of “Oh My Soul”, a beautifully open and expressive piece with a fine vocal from Mariam over gospel piano and a steady, pulsing conga groove.  “Misty Clouds” is a mystical, spacious ballad replete with electronics, vast piano chords and lyrical Native flute passages from Mariam in conversation with her powerful vocal.  The spry folk of “Deva Magic Fire” is imbued with Eastern touches and a drum-tight conga-ukulele-piano rhythm section and “Ryalia”, from the “Release” album, is a beautiful, driving minor folk song with a notable Romani influence in Mariam’s impassioned vocal and fast, tight ukulele strumming.  “Just Walk Away” is a swinging ‘50s rocker also from Mariam’s “Release” album with an appealing, bluesy retro approach and another fine vocal and “Treasures” is a deep, earthen chant built on a pulse of Native drum and a carpet of minor acoustic guitar and piano.  Mariam strums her lustrous, shimmering 8-string ukulele for the pretty, uplifting “Somebody Before You”, a lovely, lilting piece with Mariam’s evocative vocal and busy but spacious gospel piano from Bob and “It’s Just That Way” concludes today’s hour with a hushed, reverent minor ballad built on the imaginative interplay of kalimba, Native drum, piano, Native flute and always Mariam’s clear, expressive voice soaring across the top of the lush, unusual soundstage.

Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com