Comprised of flutist Michael Whipple and guitarist Mark Esakoff, the members of the Long Beach, CA-based instrumental duo Chasm (pronounced kaz'm) first met in 1987. As a youngster, Whipple's family moved around a lot (his father was a military man), and when his father forbade him to learn the drums, he picked up the flute and also taught himself how to play the recorder, keyboards, marimba, and despite his father's misgivings, eventually drums and percussion. Esakoff, on the other hand, picked up guitar at the age of 13, equally inspired by rock and folk, eventually traveling with his instrument throughout America, Europe, and North Africa, before hooking up with Whipple. So far, the duo has issued a pair of albums (best described as a combination of folk, jazz, Latin, and rock) -- a self-titled debut and a sophomore effort, Panorhythmica. ~ Greg Prato