Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #265 was taped live at Singing Brook Studio on a beautiful mid-May afternoon and features the Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, native flute, acoustic guitar, celtic harp and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and percussion. Today we are pleased to be joined by saxophonist Martin Jones who brings a breathy, late-night jazz feel with his unusually lyrical and beautifully deployed sax work. Today’s first number is the lush improv piece “Praying For The Water”, a jazzy, gospel-influenced ballad with visionary lyrics and melody from Mariam. Martin’s epic tenor saxophone paints languid watercolors over a mesmerizing piano and conga rhythm section. A series of dizzying heights and shaded, lush pianissimo passages underpin Mariam’s inspired prayer until the scene shifts to an elemental, native vibe with Mariam’s soaring native flute taking center stage for the sweetly gospel-toned third movement. Mariam picks up her tenor ukulele to lead the ensemble into the stately, minor gypsy air “Nadahey”, a mysterious, evocative mermaid love story driven by hypnotizing piano and drums and enriched with Martin’s breathy, eastern saxophone. “Emeraldina The Fire-Bright Dragon” begins with a sunny, ukulele-led jazz groove before grooving into a saxophone-drenched samba decorated with delightful scat singing from Mariam. “Catarina Della Rose” is a misty ballad of a maiden who feels joy in life and in nature, decorated with more fine saxophone commentary from Martin and “Diddy Bop Frenchy Rainbow” is a Bayou blues with Ray Charles barrelhouse piano from Bob and a Cajun rock and roll vocal from Mariam.