Sahara is a name that has been used by multiple artists. Sahara (1): German progressive/symphonic rock band with two albums in the 70s, Sunrise (1973) and For All the Clowns (1975). They featured sax and flute in their arrangements. See also Subject Esq.. Elements of style in common with The Moody Blues, Barclay James Harvest, Van Der Graaf Generator. Sahara developed out of Subject Esq. After some line-up changes in 1973, this Munich group was signed to Pan (an Ariola subsidiary) and changed their name to Sahara: Hennes Hering (keyboards, ex-Out Of Focus), Michael Hoffmann (moog, mellotron, vocals), Alex Pittwohn (harmonica, sax, vocals), Stefan Wissnet (bass, vocals), Harry Rosenkind (drums) and Nick Woodland (guitar, ex-Gift). The album Sunrise (1974) was recorded in the Autumn of 1973 at the Musicland Studios, Munich. This was an excellent example of complex German symphonic rock, clearly influenced by British bands such as King Crimson, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Curved Air, Jethro Tull and others. Sunrise was nonetheless of an international quality, combining haunting melody lines with complex arrangements. The Sunrise suite filled the whole of side two. The album was also granted a British release on the Dawn label. Sahara were never a stable unit. At the time of recording of "For All The Clowns" two years later, only Hering, Hoffmann and Wissnet remained from the 1974 line-up. The new members were: Gunther Moll (guitar, vocals) and Holger Brandt (drums, ex-Missing