Curved Air were one of British progressive rock’s true originals — and one of its most influential pioneers. Fronted by the charismatic Sonja Kristina, and built on the duel between Darryl Way’s electric violin and Francis Monkman’s keyboards and synthesizers, they fused classical music, folk, rock and the new world of electronics into something genuinely fresh. They were also, notably, among the very first major prog bands led by a woman.

The short version

Formed in London in 1970, Curved Air arrived fully formed, scoring a hit debut album and a top-five single while most of their peers were still finding their feet. Their early records pair Kristina’s distinctive voice with a remarkable instrumental front line, and their place in history is secure on several counts: female-fronted prog, the electric violin as a lead rock instrument, and a famously eye-catching debut LP. Line-ups changed constantly — at various points the band included future members of Roxy Music and The Police — but the core identity endured across a catalogue running from 1970 to a 2014 reunion.

From Hair to the underground

Curved Air came together in London in 1970, growing out of an earlier band and crystallising around a strikingly varied set of talents. Singer Sonja Kristina had been a cast member of the London production of the rock musical “Hair”; violinist Darryl Way and keyboardist Francis Monkman were classically trained musicians with a taste for experimentation; and the rhythm section of drummer Florian Pilkington-Miksa and bassist Rob Martin gave the music its drive. The band took its name from “A Rainbow in Curved Air”, a piece by the American minimalist composer Terry Riley — a clue to the adventurous, boundary-crossing spirit that defined them.

Violin, synth and a singular voice

What made Curved Air instantly recognisable was its front line. Darryl Way’s electric violin was no folksy ornament but a fully fledged lead instrument, soaring, swooping and duelling with Francis Monkman’s arsenal of harpsichord, organ and the then-cutting-edge VCS3 synthesizer. Over the top sat Sonja Kristina’s voice — clear, expressive and theatrical, equally at home with delicate folk and dramatic rock. The result blended European classical form, folk melody, rock energy and early electronic texture into a sound few others could match. At their best, Curved Air felt like a chamber group, a folk band and a rock outfit all at once.

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Air Conditioning, Back Street Luv and the early peak

The debut, “Air Conditioning” (1970), made an immediate splash — not least because it was issued as one of the first commercially available picture discs, a striking novelty that helped push it into the UK top ten. Its mix of extended instrumental workouts and sharp songs announced a band of real ambition. “Second Album” (1971) delivered their commercial high point: the single “Back Street Luv” climbed into the UK top five, giving Curved Air a genuine hit and a foothold beyond the underground. “Phantasmagoria” (1972) refined the formula further, with a more baroque, folk-tinged elegance — but behind the scenes, creative tensions between the band’s two instrumental forces were pulling it apart.

Fragmentation and reinvention

By the end of 1972 the original line-up had fractured, as Way and Monkman went their separate ways. Rather than fold, Sonja Kristina pressed on, recruiting an almost entirely new band for “Air Cut” (1973) — most strikingly a teenage Eddie Jobson, who took on both violin and keyboards before departing for Roxy Music and a stellar career with UK, Frank Zappa and others. That line-up too proved short-lived, and the band briefly split, reuniting the classic members for live shows in 1974. A further reinvention followed: Kristina assembled new versions of Curved Air for “Midnight Wire” (1975) and “Airborne” (1976), whose ranks included, remarkably, a young drummer named Stewart Copeland — soon to find global fame with The Police, and later Kristina’s husband. The band wound down after 1976, its members fanning out across the rock world.

Album by album

From the picture-disc debut to the 2014 reunion record, here is the studio run. Tap any title for its guide.

The players

Sonja Kristina (vocals) was the one constant — the face and voice of Curved Air across every incarnation. Darryl Way (electric violin, vocals) and Francis Monkman (keyboards, guitar, synthesizer) were the twin engines of the classic era; Monkman would later co-found the crossover supergroup Sky, while Way pursued solo work and his band Wolf. Florian Pilkington-Miksa (drums) and a rotating cast of bassists anchored the early records. Later members read like a who’s who of British rock: Eddie Jobson (violin, keyboards), guitarist Kirby Gregory, and drummer Stewart Copeland all passed through the ranks. The reunited band of recent years again paired Kristina with Way and a new generation of players.

Where to start

Begin with “Second Album” (1971), which balances the band’s instrumental adventurousness with their strongest set of songs, including the hit “Back Street Luv”. From there, the debut “Air Conditioning” (1970) shows the original line-up in full flight, and “Phantasmagoria” (1972) offers its most refined, baroque side. Together those three capture the classic Curved Air before the endless line-up changes began.

Why they still matter

Curved Air were pioneers in ways that are easy to take for granted today. They put a woman at the front of a major progressive rock band when that was almost unheard of; they made the electric violin a credible lead instrument years before it became commonplace; and they embraced synthesizers and minimalist influences while many peers were still wedded to the organ. Their constant reinvention scattered their talent across some of rock’s biggest names, but the early albums remain vivid, inventive and quietly ahead of their time. For anyone exploring the more colourful, classically minded corners of British prog, Curved Air are an essential — and unusually pioneering — name.

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