Paul Winter is an accomplished musician, with sax being his main instrument. In the late 1970s he had begun experimenting with fusing art and nature, recording the sounds of wild animals, including whales, wolves, and bald eagles. His 1977 A&M release, Common Ground, which featured music built around these animal recordings, received rave reviews and formed the basis of this tour.
Winter has continued to have a revolving door membership in Consort, but would firmly establish himself as an icon in the progressive jazz and new age movements. He also became known for his ability to record his albums in unique environments such as the Grand Canyon and St John the Divine Cathedral in Manhattan.