Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour with Mariam Massaro: #636

Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #636 is a unique and compelling hour of visionary acoustic improvised music played by The Gaea Star Band with Mariam Massaro on vocals, Native flute, double flute, dulcimer, mandolin, harmonica, kalimba, acoustic guitar and ukulele, Bob Sherwood on piano and Craig Harris on congas and Native drum. We are joined today by special guests David Morningstar on background vocals and acoustic guitar and on the last track Eve Cristoph on backing vocals. Recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts in early September of 2025, today’s show begins with the pretty, ancient-sounding “Dive Deep To Reach Your Soul’s True Longing”, a skipping forest song with dancing dulcimer and mystical Native flute passages from Mariam and “Count Your Blessings, Keep Shining Bright” is a driving, blustery rock song with imaginative piano and an inspiring lyric from Mariam over Craig’s driving congas. The Track enters an extended coda with Mariam playing her mysterious double flute, a unique instrument that creates audible overtones in a miasma of harmony. “All Life Is Sacred” is another acoustic rock number with a distant Andean flare and an affecting vocal from Mariam and “Living On The Holy Ground” is a bright, skipping, sunny folk song driven by Maram’s chiming mandolin and evocative, distant droning vocals from Daniel over gospel piano and steady congas from Craig. “Breath Together” has a suspended blues flavor and begins with a conversation between Mariam’s harmonica and her inspired poetry as it blooms into a powerful, spacious gospel song before segueing into a second movement, “Open The Windows To Receive”, a sparse but sophisticated tone poem set to the heartbeat thump of Craig’s Native drum and bittersweet, iconic piano. For the final section “Keep On Dreaming We Can Change The World” with Daniel joining Mariam for the anthemic chorus. Eve Cristoph joins Mariam on vocals for today’s beautiful closer, the ocean anthem “Yemanja” a mystical mermaid goddess song featuring exemplary work from the whole ensemble. Learn more about Mariam here: http://www.mariammassaro.com