Headwinds is a three-movement woodwind quintet hybridizing elements of jazz and classical music. Movements one and three function as contrafacts of two jazz repertoire mainstays: the twelve-bar blues and “rhythm changes.” These two movements are also played with swing and feature idiomatic jazz melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. Movement one, A Bolt From the Blue, opens with a modern take on the blues in F, with the quintet mimicking a small jazz ensemble. The bassoon imitates upright bass walking lines, and each instrument is featured in a written improvisation over one chorus of the form. The beginning of the horn solo playfully quotes the main theme of Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, which also served as Thelonious Monk’s inspiration for his blues Straight, No Chaser. After the solos, the quintet begins a shout chorus with a quote from John Coltrane’s Giant Steps. The middle movement, Vignette, transforms melodic and rhythmic motives from the first movement into a lushly orchestrated, impressionistic and through-composed ballad. Movement three, Changes, sets a new melody to the chord progression of George Gershwin’s I’ve Got Rhythm, known fondly to jazz musicians as “rhythm changes.” As with movement one, Changes pays homage to generations of jazz musicians’ re-interpretations of the standard repertoire.