iSound

One November midnight, alone in the cavernous space of the world's largest Gothic cathedral, two old friends embarked on a new adventure in music making. Colleagues for years in the Paul Winter Consort, Eugene Friesen and Paul Halley had never before made music together as a duo.

Starting from shared silence, offering sounds in free dialogue, they followed each other into uncharted territory, calling into play all their listening instincts. Music sparks ignited into spontaneous composition, tapping the deep roots shared by Friesen and Halley in the traditions of European classical music and American jazz. During the course of the next two hours, this album was born.

This is music beyond the categories, having both the new-morning spirit of wilderness and the timeless character of classic music. Elegant and earthy, rough-hewn and lyrical, it is honest music that mirrors the warmth and wit of the two people playing.

Friesen takes the cello into a new rea...