Unto Laine and his companions made the late-night decision to venture outside to observe the aurora borealis and take in the silence.
The Northern Lights danced overhead as the temperature dropped to -35 degrees Fahrenheit.
"We all started to listen without talking, without moving, and almost even without breathing," recounts Laine.
When there is no wind, no traffic, and everyone is asleep, they wanted to hear how peaceful it may be.
The group noticed a background noise, a kind of hissing that seemed to shift in time with the aurora's movements.
That occurred in 1990. Until he went back to the jazz festival in 1999, Laine had forgotten about the rustling aurora.
Even if he wasn't the first to be captivated by this occurrence, he was probably best suited to find a solution.
Once more, the enigmatic sound left him perplexed.