Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #638 is an hour of visionary acoustic improvised music played by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, ukulele, dulcimer, harmonica and double flute, Bob Sherwood on vocals and piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. Today we are delighted to be joined with the very talented brothers Chris and Rob Griffin, with Rob playing fiddle and mandolin and singing and Chris singing and handling acoustic guitar duties. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in mid-September of 2025, the band eases into the show with two raga-like numbers from Mariam, “Smile” and “Happy I Am”. Rich and deeply improvisatory, “Smile” is driven briskly by Mariam’s energized vocal and chiming dulcimer while Rob provides color with his fiddle and Chris and Bob provide a compelling plagal cadence framework on acoustic guitar and piano. “Happy I Am” continues the “Smile” lineup, supporting Mariam’s the lovely, simple lyric of this exemplary, beautiful song from Mariam. “The Ballad Of Belfast Bay” is a fantastic folk waltz from the Griffin brothers with Rob on lead vocals and fiddle and Chris on acoustic guitar and Rob harmonizing as only brothers can as Craig, Mariam and Bob provide musical support. Chris takes the lead on his original number “Way Out West With A.T. Doe”, a driving minor country rock song featuring epic fiddle work from Rob and fine contributions from the ensemble. Next up is Mariam’s “Room Of Doubt”, a blues rock number that smolders with Mariam’s fine vocal and powerful work from the ensemble, particularly from Rob who picks up his mandolin for the smoldering workout. “Room Of Doubt” opens into a gorgeous coda with Mariam conversing with her sweeping, evocative Native flute over affecting piano ostinatos from Bob that veer from classical to fatfinger blues and gorgeous violin runs from Rob Griffin. Chris Griffin steps back up to the mic with his beautiful, soulful “Set Her Free”, a fine 70s-soul-flavored ballad with sensitive, additive contributions from all, particularly Rob with his bittersweet violin lines. “Pele” is a powerful island song by Mariam that the band sets on fire to a degree that would impress its namesake with bottomless enthusiasm from the ensemble and “Gypsy” is another exemplary song from Mariam cast by the band as a moonlit Romani reel filled with soaring violin runs and incendiary piano. The song detonates into a powerful, driving coda as Mariam’s vocal and then her eerie, midnight double flute overtones dance with Rob’s violin above the racing, yet focused and emphatic ensemble. A highlight. Bob comes forward to close the show with his rock gospel number “Coming Home” delivering a powerful vocal over a hypnotic, minimalist ensemble sprinkled with compelling violin lines from Rob and affecting, lilting vocalisms and Native flute from Mariam. Learn more about Mariam here:
http://www.mariammassaro.com