Reviewed by Tony Cummings

After the flaccid 'Caribbean' album, I suspected a similar US-session-men-trying-to-get-ethnic album. But no, this is something different. Recorded in Ecuador, and featuring a battery of wonderful instruments like the pitos (ceramic flutes), zampano (South American pan pipes) and the charango (the bizarre 10 stringed instrument made from the shell of an armadillo!) played by some hand picked Latin musos who kick up a warm and sultry sound. The hymns they play here of course come a long way from South America and though traditionalists will take time to get used to hearing "Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus" played on the Paraguayan harp or the deep toned quenacho giving tonal colour to "O The Deep Deep Love Of Jesus", I thought this an exceptionally enjoyable instrumental album whether it's your first encounter with South American music or not.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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