Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro

Gaea Star Crystal #281 Part Two is a continuation of last week’s deep and mystical song cycle, recorded on a beautiful October afternoon at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington MA and featuring the Gaea Star Band and special guest Sondra Lewis on vocals and percussion. Mariam Massaro sings and plays native flute, celtic harp, kalimba, percussion, acoustic guitar and ukulele, Bob Sherwood plays piano and Craig Harris plays congas and balaphone. Today’s first number “Meche Oh Love Is Everywhere I Go” is mystical, cyclical, psychedelic song of praise featuring gorgeous vocals from Mariam and Sondra as well as Mariam’s floating, bittersweet native flute. The lush and darkling “Underneath The Moonlight” carries a hint of the occult and the supernatural with its minimal piano figure and Mariam’s shadowy, affecting vocal. A gradual rise in tempo and intensity brings the piece to a climactic finish only to trail out on a virtuosic, Baroque two-chord figure by Bob on piano. “Fletcher Copernicus” finds Bob picking up the acoustic guitar to help mold a flamenco vibe against Mariam’s Mediterranean ukulele. Mariam tells a riveting tale with lush backing vocals from Sondra. Mariam brings in “In The Early Morning” with pensive, delicate acoustic guitar augmented by sheets of echoed piano from Bob against a tight rhythm of shaker and congas from Sondra and Craig. A deeply imaginative musical journey proceeds with evocative melodies from Mariam and Sondra. “I Miss You” closes the show today, a country rocking number from Mariam’s “Smooth Sailin’ Love Songs” featuring barrel house piano and driving rhythms.