Curved Air are a pioneering
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
progressive rockProgressive rock is a form of rock music that evolved in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility."...
group formed in 1970.
The group evolved out of the band
Sisyphus, and was named after the piece "
A Rainbow in Curved AirA Rainbow in Curved Air is the second album by experimental music and Classical minimalism pioneer Terry Riley.1970s Progressive rock band Curved Air named itself after this album....
" by contemporary
composerA composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of...
Terry RileyTerrence Mitchell Riley, better known as Terry Riley , is an American composer associated with the minimalist school of Western classical music.-Life:...
. The musicians came from quite different artistic backgrounds,
classicClassical music is the mainstream music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 9th century to present times...
,
folkThe term folk music originated in the 19th century as a term for musical folklore. It has been defined in several ways; as music transmitted by word of mouth, music of the lower classes, music with no known composer...
, and
electronicElectronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
sound, which resulted in a mixture of
progressive rockProgressive rock is a form of rock music that evolved in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility."...
,
folk rockFolk rock is a musical genre, combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
, and
fusionFusion or, more specifically, jazz fusion or jazz rock, is a musical genre that developed in the late 1960s from a mixture of elements of jazz such as its focus on improvisation with the rhythms and grooves of funk and R&B and the beats and heavily amplified electric instruments and electronic...
with classical elements. Along with High Tide,
It's A Beautiful DayIt's a Beautiful Day was a band formed in San Francisco, California in 1967, the brainchild of violinist and vocalist David LaFlamme.-Biography:...
and
East of EdenEast of Eden was a British progressive rock band, who had a Top 10 hit in England with the single, "Jig-a-Jig", in 1971. The track became something of a stylistic albatross around the band's neck, since it did not resemble their usual sound or anything else they normally played...
, Curved Air were one of the first rock bands to feature a violin.
The first lineup consisted of:
- Francis Monkman
Francis Monkman is an English rock, classical and film score composer, and a founder member of the progressive rock band Curved Air.-Career:...
- (keyboards, guitar)
- Darryl Way
Darryl Way is a British rock and classical musician who, together with Francis Monkman, was a founding member of Curved Air. He is best known as a violinist although he also played keyboards with his band Wolf....
- (electric violin, vocals)
- Sonja Kristina Linwood
Sonja Kristina Linwood is an English musician, usually known as Sonja Kristina, and most famous as vocalist for Curved Air.- Career :...
- (vocals)
- Florian Pilkington-Miksa
Florian Pilkington-Miksa was the drummer in the original line-up of the British rock group Curved Air.He subsequently joined Kiki Dee's band....
- (Drum kit, drums)
- Rob Martin - (bass guitar).
Throughout their lifespan the band experienced frequent personnel changes.
Curved Air are a pioneering
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
progressive rockProgressive rock is a form of rock music that evolved in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility."...
group formed in 1970.
History
The group evolved out of the band
Sisyphus, and was named after the piece "
A Rainbow in Curved AirA Rainbow in Curved Air is the second album by experimental music and Classical minimalism pioneer Terry Riley.1970s Progressive rock band Curved Air named itself after this album....
" by contemporary
composerA composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of...
Terry RileyTerrence Mitchell Riley, better known as Terry Riley , is an American composer associated with the minimalist school of Western classical music.-Life:...
. The musicians came from quite different artistic backgrounds,
classicClassical music is the mainstream music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 9th century to present times...
,
folkThe term folk music originated in the 19th century as a term for musical folklore. It has been defined in several ways; as music transmitted by word of mouth, music of the lower classes, music with no known composer...
, and
electronicElectronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
sound, which resulted in a mixture of
progressive rockProgressive rock is a form of rock music that evolved in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility."...
,
folk rockFolk rock is a musical genre, combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
, and
fusionFusion or, more specifically, jazz fusion or jazz rock, is a musical genre that developed in the late 1960s from a mixture of elements of jazz such as its focus on improvisation with the rhythms and grooves of funk and R&B and the beats and heavily amplified electric instruments and electronic...
with classical elements. Along with High Tide,
It's A Beautiful DayIt's a Beautiful Day was a band formed in San Francisco, California in 1967, the brainchild of violinist and vocalist David LaFlamme.-Biography:...
and
East of EdenEast of Eden was a British progressive rock band, who had a Top 10 hit in England with the single, "Jig-a-Jig", in 1971. The track became something of a stylistic albatross around the band's neck, since it did not resemble their usual sound or anything else they normally played...
, Curved Air were one of the first rock bands to feature a violin.
The first lineup consisted of:
- Francis Monkman
Francis Monkman is an English rock, classical and film score composer, and a founder member of the progressive rock band Curved Air.-Career:...
- (keyboards, guitar)
- Darryl Way
Darryl Way is a British rock and classical musician who, together with Francis Monkman, was a founding member of Curved Air. He is best known as a violinist although he also played keyboards with his band Wolf....
- (electric violin, vocals)
- Sonja Kristina Linwood
Sonja Kristina Linwood is an English musician, usually known as Sonja Kristina, and most famous as vocalist for Curved Air.- Career :...
- (vocals)
- Florian Pilkington-Miksa
Florian Pilkington-Miksa was the drummer in the original line-up of the British rock group Curved Air.He subsequently joined Kiki Dee's band....
- (Drum kit, drums)
- Rob Martin - (bass guitar).
Throughout their lifespan the band experienced frequent personnel changes. To name but a few of the better-known:
- Ian Eyre (born 11 September, in Knaresborough
Knaresborough is an historic market town, spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located on the River Nidd, four miles east of Harrogate.-History:...
, YorkshireYorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the British Isles. Because of its great size, functions were increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have been subject to periodic reform. Throughout these changes, Yorkshire has continued to be recognised as...
) played bass on the second album
- Mike Wedgwood
Mike Wedgwood is an English bass guitarist and singer.Mike was born in Derby on 19 May 1950. He is related to the Wedgwood family of pottery fame...
(born 19 May 1950, in DerbyDerby is a city in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, DerbyshireDerbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains...
) played bass on the third and fourth albums (later in CaravanCaravan are an English band from the Canterbury area, founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings and Richard Coughlan. Caravan rose to success over a period of several years from 1968 onwards into the 1970s as part of the Canterbury scene, blending...
)
- Eddie Jobson
Edwin "Eddie" Jobson is an English keyboardist and violinist noted for his use of synthesizers. He has been a member of several progressive rock bands, including Curved Air, Roxy Music, 801, U.K., and Jethro Tull. He was also part of Frank Zappa's band in 1976-77...
(later Roxy MusicRoxy Music are an English art rock group initiated during the early 1970s by art school graduate Bryan Ferry . The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eno's replacement Eddie Jobson...
, Frank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, electronic, orchestral, and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album...
, Jethro TullJethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the songs, vocals and flute work of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and guitarist Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969....
and UKU.K. were a short-lived British progressive rock supergroup active from 1977 through 1980.-Formation and first album:In September 1976, singer/bassist John Wetton and drummer Bill Bruford, alumni of King Crimson,...
) played keyboards and violin on Air CutAir Cut is the fourth studio album by Curved Air and was recorded in 1973, following the departure of three of the band's founder members...
- John G. Perry (ex-Caravan
Caravan are an English band from the Canterbury area, founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings and Richard Coughlan. Caravan rose to success over a period of several years from 1968 onwards into the 1970s as part of the Canterbury scene, blending...
) played bass on Midnight WireMidnight Wire is the fifth studio album by Curved Air and was recorded in 1975. It marked another line-up change in the band, with Darryl Way and Sonja Kristina recruiting new musicians after the end of the re-union tour marked by the "Curved Air Live" album...
- Stewart Copeland
Stewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks.-Background:...
(later of The PoliceThe Police were an English rock trio, from London, England, formed originally in 1977. The trio consisted of Gordon Sumner, CBE , widely known by his stage name of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
) played drums on Midnight WireMidnight Wire is the fifth studio album by Curved Air and was recorded in 1975. It marked another line-up change in the band, with Darryl Way and Sonja Kristina recruiting new musicians after the end of the re-union tour marked by the "Curved Air Live" album...
and Airborne-Side One:#"Desiree" – 3:10#"Kids to Blame" – 3:20#"Broken Lady" – 3:10#"Juno" – 3:20#"Touch of Tequila" – 3:46-Side Two:#"Moonshine" – 12:27...
. He was a full member of the band between 1975 and 1977.
- Tony Reeves (born 18 April 1943, in Lee Green, South East London
[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
), (ex-GreensladeGreenslade is an English progressive rock band. It was originally formed in the autumn of 1972 with the following line-up:...
, ColosseumColosseum is a British progressive jazz-rock band formed in 1968 by drummer Jon Hiseman, tenor sax player Dick Heckstall-Smith and bass player Tony Reeves, who had previously worked together in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Dave Greenslade, on , was immediately recruited, and the line-up was...
, John MayallJohn Mayall, OBE is a pioneering English blues singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. His musical career spans over fifty years but the most notable episode in it occurred during the late '60s...
) played bass on Airborne.
Kristina was the only constant member of Curved Air. Monkman, member of
Academy of St. Martin in the FieldsThe Academy of St Martin in the Fields is an English chamber orchestra.-History:The group was founded in London by Sir Neville Marriner, attracting some of the most accomplished players in London, many of whom considered themselves to be refugees from conductors...
, was later to play with
John WilliamsJohn Christopher Williams is a Grammy Award winning Australian-born British classical guitarist. He is widely regarded as one of finest guitarists of his generation.-Biography:...
in a group called
SkySky was a UK-based instrumental group that specialised in fusing a variety of musical styles including light rock, classical and jazz. The group's best known members were classical guitarist John Williams and bass player Herbie Flowers Sky was a UK-based instrumental group that specialised in...
.
The band's 1970 debut,
AirconditioningAirconditioning was the November 1970 debut album by British rock group Curved Air. It reached number 8 in the UK albums chart in December, 1970.-Side one:#"It Happened Today" – 4:55...
, reached number 8 in the
UK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website ; the full Top 200 is published exclusively in ChartsPlus.To qualify for the UK albums...
, and was one of the first vinyl picture discs to be released.
Second AlbumSecond Album was the second album released by British rock group Curved Air. It reached No. 11 in the UK Charts on 9 October 1971, and "Back Street Luv" became a UK No...
peaked at #11; whilst their third album,
PhantasmagoriaPhantasmagoria is a 1972 album by Curved Air. It reached No. 20 in the UK Charts and is notable for its early use of the EMS Synthi 100 synthesizer to process lead singer Sonja Kristina's voice on the second side...
reached #20.
The band's most successful
singleIn music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats.-History:...
(reaching #4 in the
UK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
) was "Back Street Luv".
The drummer on the 1971 Beat Club German T.V performance of Back Street Luv was session player Barry de Souza (Lou Reed, Jeff Beck, Kate Bush) who recently died of cancer.
Recent times
In 1990 the group performed together again briefly and a
live albumA live album – commonly contrasted with a studio album – is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances. Live albums may be recorded at a single concert, or combine recordings made at multiple concerts...
of this
concertA concert is a live performance, usually of music, before an audience. The music may be performed by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band. Informal names for a concert include "show" and "gig"...
was released ten years later.
In early 2008 the band regrouped. On 4 May 2008, in a message to the Curved Air Yahoo Group, Kristina advised that the new line-up would be -
- Sonja Kristina - vocals
- Darryl Way - violin
- Florian Pilkington-Miksa - drums
- Andy Christie - guitar
- Chris Harris - bass
Francis Monkman, who was originally pictured with Kristina, Way and Pilkington-Miksa for the re-union, seems to have left the project.
The new line-up played 2008 in Southern England, Italy and Malta. For the 2009 dates in Japan on Jan 16th & 17th at Club Citta, Kawasaki, the guitarist was Kit Morgan.
Albums
| Year |
Title |
Chart-Positions |
Comments |
| UK The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website ; the full Top 200 is published exclusively in ChartsPlus.To qualify for the UK albums...
|
US The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
|
DE The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband der phonographischen Wirtschaft...
|
CH CH can mean:Business* Bemidji Airlines IATA code* Carolina Herrera, a fashion designer based in New York.Entertainment and sports* Channel...
|
AT Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart. Airdate is Friday on Hitradio Ö3. It contains the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart...
|
| 1970 |
Airconditioning Airconditioning was the November 1970 debut album by British rock group Curved Air. It reached number 8 in the UK albums chart in December, 1970.-Side one:#"It Happened Today" – 4:55...
|
8 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
includes the renowned piece "Vivaldi" |
| 1971 |
Second Album Second Album was the second album released by British rock group Curved Air. It reached No. 11 in the UK Charts on 9 October 1971, and "Back Street Luv" became a UK No...
|
11 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
includes the biggest hit "Back Street Luv" |
| 1972 |
Phantasmagoria Phantasmagoria is a 1972 album by Curved Air. It reached No. 20 in the UK Charts and is notable for its early use of the EMS Synthi 100 synthesizer to process lead singer Sonja Kristina's voice on the second side...
|
20 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
| 1973 |
Air Cut Air Cut is the fourth studio album by Curved Air and was recorded in 1973, following the departure of three of the band's founder members...
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
| 1975 |
Live Curved Air – Live was the first official live album by the British progressive rock band Curved Air. It was recorded on the band's reunion tour in December 1974 and released in 1975.-Track listing:-Personnel:* Sonja Kristina – Vocals...
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
| 1975 |
Midnight Wire Midnight Wire is the fifth studio album by Curved Air and was recorded in 1975. It marked another line-up change in the band, with Darryl Way and Sonja Kristina recruiting new musicians after the end of the re-union tour marked by the "Curved Air Live" album...
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
| 1976 |
Airborne -Side One:#"Desiree" – 3:10#"Kids to Blame" – 3:20#"Broken Lady" – 3:10#"Juno" – 3:20#"Touch of Tequila" – 3:46-Side Two:#"Moonshine" – 12:27...
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
| 1990 |
Lovechild Lovechild is a studio album of the progressive rock band Curved Air, consisting of previously unreleased material from 1972-1973. The line-up is essentially the one having recorded Air Cut, with the exception of former member Florian Pilkington-Miksa returning on some of the...
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
recorded 1973 |
| 1995 |
Live at the BBC Live at the BBC is a compilation live album of the British progressive rock band Curved Air from their early 1970-1971 days and final five tracks from a 1976 performance at the Paris Theater in London...
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
| 2000 |
Alive, 1990 Alive, 1990 is a recording from the Curved Air reunion concert 23 September 1990. It's the classic line up featuring Sonja Kristina, Francis Monkman, Florian Pilkington-Miksa, Darryl Way and special guest Rob Martin , sixteen years after they had played together for the last time...
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
| 2008 |
Reborn |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Singles
| Year |
Title |
Chart-Positions |
Comments |
| UK The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website ; the full Top 200 is published exclusively in ChartsPlus.To qualify for the UK albums...
|
US The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
|
DE The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband der phonographischen Wirtschaft...
|
CH CH can mean:Business* Bemidji Airlines IATA code* Carolina Herrera, a fashion designer based in New York.Entertainment and sports* Channel...
|
AT Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart. Airdate is Friday on Hitradio Ö3. It contains the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart...
|
| 1971 |
It Happened Today
Vivaldi
What Happens When You Blow Yourself Up |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
| 1971 |
Back Street Luv
Everdance |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
| 1972 |
Sarah's Concern
Phantasmagoria |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
| 1976 |
Desiree
Kids to Blame |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
| 1976 |
Baby Please Don't Go
Broken Lady |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
| 1984 |
Renegade
We're Only Human |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|