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Curved Air’s concerts and festival appearances continue to
thrill a steadily increasing mass of new and old fans worldwide.
Their experimental blends of classical themes, electronic sounds
and pop/rock energy and beautiful, timeless songs are performed
with fire and passion and tremendous musicianship.
The
band, are still fronted by Sonja Kristina, with original drummer
Florian Pilkington Miksa. and veteran musicians who were
introduced through Sonja Kristina’s and Darryl Way’s solo
projects Sonja Kristina states, “these are virtuoso
musicians. Robert Norton on keyboards is exceptional - as is
Paul Sax, a unique violinist, one of the first entrants to the
Yehudi Menuhin School, and veteran of many alternative bands - a
passionate and brave performer .. Both Paul Sax and Robert
Norton recorded and toured with my ‘Acid Folk’ band between 1988
and 1996 .
All the band are brilliant players and inspiring people. Ex
Darryl Way’s Verisma band-mate, bass player Chris Harris is
literally our root on bass. Now AIRCUT guitarist Kirby Gregory
has returned to Curved Air after 40 years in October 2013 to add
his signature guitar sound. There is great chemistry and
communication in this incarnation of Curved Air that the crowds
love..."
About Curved Air
Considered (according to AllMusic) "one of the most
dramatically accomplished of all the bands lumped into Britain's
late-'60s prog explosion", Curved Air is a pioneering
British progressive rock group of musicians from mixed artistic
backgrounds.
They are famed for their unforgettable live performances and
'Art Rock' music - the quasi classical imprints of Terry Riley
hooked onto beautiful and demonic violin combined with
electronic adventurous synths and interwoven with brilliant
guitar wizardry mesmerisingly embroidered by the subliminal and
exotic presence of a unique girl lead singer Sonja Kristina. All
these elements elevated them from the underground Roundhouse
scene to top the album charts in the early '70s.
Along with High Tide and East of Eden, Curved Air was one of the
first rock bands after It's A Beautiful Day and The United
States of America to feature an electric violin, inspiringly and
dramatically explored by the excellent Darryl Way and now by the
dynamic Paul Sax. Original keyboard player/guitarist Francis
Monkman was the trailblazer for future 'electronica' and ambient
extemporization. Robert Norton has inherited this sonic template
and himself a spinner of ethereal soundscapes extends the
boundaries towards further horizons while Florian Pilkington
Miksa on drums then and now, with Chris Harris' bass guitar
artistry, provides the expressive rhythmic pulse that is the
Curved Air signature.
Curved Air have to date released eight studio albums and though
progressive innovators they were hailed as Pop Stars when their
single, the sultry "Back Street Luv" was a Top 5 hit in 1971.
The present line-up of Sonja Kristina, Florian Pilkington-Miksa,
Kit Morgan, Chris Harris, Robert Norton and Paul Sax have been
touring together since 2009.
On
12th November 2012, much to the excitement of their
fans and press worldwide, a Live CD/DVD titled 'Live
Atmosphere' was released - 'Songs of revolution, insanity,
loss, desire and ghosts: a unique compilation of powerful Curved
Air songs played by a vital contemporary Curved Air'.
‘Live Atmosphere’ produced by Marvin Ayres , includes a bonus
DVD with a tour featurette and an atmospheric visual collage.
A
new studio album, the first in 36 years, is soon to be released
worldwide by US label Cleopatra Records in 2014
Sonja Kristina
Before
Curved Air, actress and singer Sonja Kristina performed in the
British Folk Clubs during her teens. In 1968 she starred as "Chrissy"
in the radical Tribal-Rock Musical 'Hair' when it opened at the
Shaftesbury Theatre in London. As Curved Air's lead singer and
lyricist she topped the British female vocalist polls - the
first UK girl singer to front a Rock band. She won the hearts of
a generation of young men and boys and the music cognoscenti.
The
constant flame leading Curved Air through the decades, Sonja
Kristina's hypnotic attraction endures today, "vibrant and
edgy as ever, Sonja, the original prog diva gives a charismatic
and highly visual performance. Looking like a glamorous gipsy
queen with her flowing red hair and dressed in sparkly black,
that signature voice is still smoky and seductive as she spins
around the stage around the excellent musicians who are Curved
Air". (Music Street Journal)
Curved Air is: Vocalist Sonja Kristina, Drummer Florian
Pilkington Miksa, Guitarist Kirby Gregory, Violinist Paul Sax,
Bass Chris Harris and Keyboard Player Robert Norton.
Recent Live Reviews
"All of the players impress. Although only drummer
Florian Pilkington-Miksa is from the original line-up, Sonja has
found some stunning new instrumentalists who immerse the
audience in a set of swirling, whirling solos that emphasize
moods and nuances and floating waves of sound that act as a
counterpoint to Sonja's dramatic sense of theatricality".
(Classic Rock Society Magazine)
"Sonja Kristina prowls the front of the stage... expertly
playing off the energy of all the performers with her. Guitarist
Kirby Gregory... moves through figures, shapes and techniques with
deceptive ease... violinist Paul Sax pulling sounds from his
instrument like a mad scientist ... there's no denying they
remain formidable live!" (Prog Magazine)
"While women in UK progressive rock were relatively few and
far between... it's Sonja that wore the crown. Well the
undisputed queen of British Prog is on tour again and what a joy
it is to see her and Curved Air back in action... Violinist Paul
Sax... sweats for his art right from the off and with virtuoso
wizardry sears through the set like a man possessed... the whole
group of assembled musicians are perfectly qualified to recreate
the band's uniqueness authentically... Catch them while you can". (Classic
Rock)
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