With this joyous 1985 album, concert harpist and sound healer Joel Andrews leaps in a new direction: South America. This continent has its own harp tradition, and Joel and his wife, harpist Serafina Andrews, embrace its saucy sounds on Paradise Bird with gusto. Joining them on this sunny improvisation is Peter Velasquez, who sings, whistles, and plays the syncopated kalimba thumb piano and castenets. "Chamber of the Heart," a deeply centered meditation, offers a resonant and hypnotic solo by Andrews. "Ambhori" features Velasquez on vocals and the thumb piano, while "Andalusian Fantasy" recreates the perfumed romance of the Spanish guitar. Each piece shines in its own way, but those who prefer Andrews' spiritual harp meditations should chose some of his other albums. ~ Carol Wright

Rovi