Artist description Eclectic jazz/latin/pop/rock/neo-classical/avant-garde all-woodwind ensemble.

Music Style Extremely eclectic

Musical Influences World and 29th St. Saxophone Quartets (surprise!), a bunch of others....Coltrane, Bird, Monk, Frank Zappa, John Cage, various latin-oriented musics, etc............

Similar Artists None that I know of

Artist History The Washington, D.C.- based Windmill Saxophone Quartet was formed in 1984 by local musician Clayton Englar. Drawing from the diverse backgrounds and abilities of each of its members (as performers, composers, and arrangers), this unique and exciting group has a sound all its own. Its eclectic assortment of tunes - both originals and arrangements of pieces by popular artists from throughout the music field - covers a wide range of styles, from straight ahead jazz to rock, Latin, classical and avant-garde. Windmill has performed at numerous venues in the Washington area and beyond, and in 1986 received a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. In September of 1988, Windmill released its first album, "Very Scary" on the Pathfinder label. The recording was one of eight finalists for the N.A.I.R.D. (National Association of Independent Record Distributors) "Best Jazz Album of 1988" award. Windmill took an extended hiatus in 1992, but is now back in action with their 1998 release, appropriately titled "This'n'That", on Global View Records (CD #GVR-9802).

Group Members Clayton Englar, Jesse Meman, Ken Plant, Tom Monroe

Instruments All Saxes (soprano to bass), Flutes & Piccolo, Clarinet & Bass Clarinets.

Albums "Very Scary" (Pathfinder Records, 1988); "This'n'That" (Global View Records, 1998); "A Touch of Evil" (Mapleshade Records, 2002)

Press Reviews "An astonishing palette of sound from the unorthodox instrumentation...inventive and full of panache, with a dash of the experimental avant garde" - Jazz Times; "Their joy in playing explodes in every measure" - Le Jazz; "Tight riff-heavy arrangements, carefully woven contrapuntal lines, a propulsive sense of rhythm, and cleanly articulated concise solos...trading licks with rapid-fire reactions." - Cadence Magazine; "Craft, wit, imagination and a feeling for tradition"; "harmonic agility and finesse"; "tight and robust ensemble performances"; "every tune and arrangement points to its collective talent and imagination" - the Washington Post; "Stirring music...surprisingly accessible" - CD Review; ALSO....Visit the WSQ website (http://members.aol.com/GloblVillg/windmill.htm) for several years worth of rave reviews!

Location Olney, MD - USA

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