This CD is a pairing of two gifted musicians, both quite different in approach and musical background, who have managed to create a unique and successful hybrid in contemporary music – drawn from the roots of both jazz and traditional Irish. As well as interpretations of older tunes, there are eight original compositions. For such a concept to work, great sensitivity must be applied and these explorations in courageous melodic phrasing, rich harmonic texture and rhythmic structure I can only describe as inspirational science. As creative as they are, for the purposes of this recording they imposed limits on the amount of studio artifice they would employ. There are no ‘overdubs’ or multiple tracking to fill out the sound; just two instruments, the whistle and guitar. Cormac plays a variety of whistles, from the chirpy warblings normally associated with the highest tonal register of Irish music, to the mellow tones of the low whistle, reminiscent of the alto flute. Unusually, Martin plays his steel-strung guitar with the fingers of his right hand, (as well as the plectrum) thereby accessing a variety of techniques more associated with the nylon-strung classical guitar. This meeting reminds us of what may be achieved by musicians who have become experts in their own fields and who then move into each other’s musical worlds, with mutual respect and with respect for the spirit of the music.