The music of harpist Patrice Fisher makes people happy. It’s as simple as that. If you need evidence beyond her records, make plans to hear her perform at the upcoming fall edition of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival where she has appeared nearly every year since the early 1990s.

Though she doesn’t play around town all that much, she is continually making music with a rotating international cast of musicians who help keep her sound fresh. Her latest record, Happy Socks, features her New Orleans band complemented by guest musicians from Brazil, Guatemala, Germany and Cuba.

The album kicks off with the title cut, which combines the New Orleans second line rhythm with a Brazilian samba beat. The harp cuts clearly through, supporting the dancing melody while the rhythm section grooves on the hybrid sound. If this doesn’t bring a smile to your face, you need a checkup from the neck up.

Fisher is a generous bandleader, and she spreads out the songwriting. Her longtime keyboardist Fran Comiskey—who displays her jazz fusion side as a member of Woodenhead—supplies two compositions, bassist Edwin Gonzalez wrote one of the songs and there are two collaborations with percussionist Carlos Valladares.

Another major contributor to the album is German trumpeter Dr. Klaus Lumma. He contributes two songs, and they are both standouts on the album. “Springtime on Bourbon & Canal” evokes that feeling when winter has passed and the flowers are beginning to bloom. Fisher’s harp is luminous on her solo. “Sunrise on the Bayou” begins with long trumpet tones from Lumma as if the sun is about to rise and culminates with a brilliant acoustic guitar solo from Roberto Moreira.

With 14 cuts, Happy Socks packs a ton of wonderful music into one collection and continues to pay off over multiple listens. Add some smiles to your music library.