Curved Air

Formed in London in 1970, Curved Air was part of the first wave of British progressive rock with a formula that blends rock, folk, fusion and classical elements, from the start driven by Sonja Kristina's voice, Darryl Way's violin and Francis Monkman's keyboards. Emerging from the group Sisyphus, Curved Air early developed a distinctive identity in which violin lines converse with keyboards and structures are freer than those of standard rock. The band's first period includes the albums Air Conditioning (1970), Second Album (1971) and Phantasmagoria (1972), as well as the track "Back Street Luv", which remained their most recognizable single. After several lineup changes, Curved Air continued with Air Cut in 1973, then entered a new phase in the mid-1970s notably marked by the tenure of Eddie Jobson and, later, Stewart Copeland. Split and reactivated several times, Curved Air briefly reformed in 1984, 1988 and 1990 before resuming regular activity from 2008 around Sonja Kristina. The band then released North Star in 2014 and continues to perform live with a current incarnation that extends Curved Air's progressive legacy without merely serving as a revival.