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