Wingnut formed in 1997 in Ithaca, New York. The band is led by Michael Stark wiith Hammond organ & Leslie speaker, Rhodes piano, and microsynth. Walt Lorenzut is on electric bass, and the drum chair alternates between Zaun Marshburn and Brian Wilson (aka Willie B). The trio is now at work on their fifth album. Band leader/composer Michael Stark has studied music since the age of seven. He was a student of sax master Jackie McLean under the jazz performance program at the Hart School of Music. A native of Queens, NY, he moved to Ithaca in 1995, and has since been leading Wingnut as well as the more traditional Michael Stark Trio.

Stark, Wilson, and Lorenzut are all extraordinarily versatile instrumentalists who participate in a wide range of musical projects, the majority of which have toured internationally. Stark and Wilson tour regularly with rock legends Johnny Dowd and Sally Timms of the Mekons. Wilson is also the drummer for the high-octane surf-rock band, the Mofos. Stark is the organist/pianist for Jsan & the Analogue Sons, The Hank Roberts Band, Mary Lorson & Saint Low and Jennie Stearns. Lorenzut tours with indie rock group Hubcap, as well as Saint Low and the Moles. The far-reaching scope of this trio's experience lends itself well to the originality of Wingnut's music. Defying strict categorization, the band's compositions are a blend of genres, incorporating jazz, funk, rock, and cinematic soundscapes, as well as elements of dub, hip-hop, jungle, and the blues. Specific influences include jazz legends Larry Young, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Keith Jarrett and Sun Ra. Rock and Funk legends such as Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Sly Stone and Funkadelic play an important role. Wingnut also takes cues from some classical and Armenian composers, as well as more contemporary artists like Bjork, Radiohead, and The Roots.

Wingnut has released four recordings on their own independent label. Their 1999 debut was well-received and launched the band on a successful round of touring, garnering the enthusiastic attention of audiences across the northern US. The second cd, "Color," co-released on I-Town Records in 2000, gained international recognition, giving Wingnut airplay in Europe. The album boasts a broad sonic spectrum, incorporating guest vocalists, horn players, an MC, and a DJ.

"Motion" (2001), is comprised of live takes drawn from extensive touring throughout the east coast and the south, including shows in New Orleans, Athens, GA and Austin, TX.

"Live at Art's," the most recent Wingnut release, is a compilation of takes from the trio's triumphant Cincinnati run in 2003. It features DJ Mezz and special guest MC's Napoleon Maddox of Iswhat?! and Idrissa Ekundayo.

Wingnut performs at a wide range of venues: large stages such as Ithaca's historic State Theater, Higher Ground in Burlington, VT, Harper's Ferry in Boston: but also smaller jazz clubs, art spaces, cafes, brew pubs, colleges, and private functions. Wingnut has shared the bill with heavyweights like IsWhat?!, birth, Project Logic, the Slip, John Brown's Body, Ulu, Hank Roberts Band and Schleigho. The trio has also performed on a weekly basis at the Knitting Factory in NYC, and participates in many outdoor festivals each summer.

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