Bands/Discography:
Francis was born on June 9, 1949, at Hampstead, London, England.
His first band was Sisyphus. Francis Monkman and bassist Rob Martin started playing together around 1968, and they were joined by Florian Pilkington-Miksa. Sometime later, they were joined by Darryl Way and a friend, and this was the first real lineup.
In 1969, the keyboardist left the band, and they turned into Curved Air.Francis Monkman (guitar)
Rob Martin (bass)
Darryl Way (violin)
Nick Simon (keyboards)
Florian Pilkington-Miksa (drums)
A superb band! The peculiar band name comes from a Terry Riley album, "Rainbow in curved air". Around March 1970, Sonja Kristina joins, and the band starts its succesful career.
Sonja Kristina (vocals)
Darryl Way (violin)
Francis Monkman (keyboards, guitar)
Rob Martin (bass)
Florian Pilkington-Miksa (drums)
Their first album, Air conditioning,
was a big success. With a stunning track, 'Vivaldi'. It was one
of the first picture disc albums ever released.
Very soon, Rob Martin leaves the band, and starts a long list of bassists in their lineups.
Sonja Kristina (vocals)
Darryl Way (violin)
Francis Monkman (keyboards, guitar)
Ian Eyre (bass)
Florian Pilkington-Miksa (drums)
(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)
They release Second album (with a great hit included, 'Back street luv'), but Ian Eyre leaves the band in January 1972.
Sonja Kristina (vocals)
Darryl Way (violin)
Francis Monkman (keyboards, guitar)
Mike Wedgwood (bass)
Florian Pilkington-Miksa (drums)
(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)
After a 3rd album, called Phantasmagoria, Francis, Darryl and Florian leave the band in October 1972. The band continued with Sonja a bit more (with Eddie Jobson), until finally splitting.
There is a live album, released in 1995, called Live at the BBC. It includes 13 tracks from three different concerts: April 1970 (3 tracks - with Rob Martin on bass), January 1971 (5 tracks - with Ian Eyre on bass) as well as 5 more tracks from January 1976, although, of course, Francis doesn't play in these tracks from 1976.
In December 1972, the great Robert Wyatt (from Soft Machine, he had just dissolved his own band Matching Mole) recorded some tracks for BBC program Top Gear. He sang with the only backing by Francis Monkman.
They performed 3 tracks. Fortunately, one of these tracks can now be found, in the Flotsam and Jetsam (May 94, Rough Trade) album. This is a sort of compilation of rare tracks performed by Robert. It was sold with a book.Robert Wyatt (vocals)
Francis Monkman (keyboards)
Wyatt and Monkman were supposed to keep on playing together, as a new lineup of Matching Mole, but Robert's accident at home prevented him to play drums anymore (he became paralyzed following a fall). :(
He's a prog Italian singer. Francis plays in one of his albums, Come un vecchio incensiere, and he also was part of the live band that toured to promote it, along with great sax player Dave Jackson (from Van Der Graaf Generator).
Alan Sorrenti (vocals)
Francis Monkman (keyboards)
Dave Jackson (sax)
+ others unknown to me
Then, Francis concentrated on session work, as we can read in the sessions page.
He has also played with The Shadows, but don't know when. Help, please!
But in September 1974, everybody reunites again under Curved Air name (with a new bassist again!)
Sonja Kristina (vocals)
Darryl Way (violin)
Francis Monkman (keyboards)
Phil Kohn (bass)
Florian Pilkington-Miksa (drums)
They did a UK tour during three weeks, and Live album was recorded then, at Cardiff and Bristol. After the tour, Francis and Florian leave the band again, in November 1974.
Steve Harley had dissolved his band, Cockney Rebel, in the summer of 1974. He assembled a new lineup to play at Reading Festival:
Francis Monkman had been called only for that gig. When Harley searched for a permanent band, he called Duncan Mackay.Steve Harley (vocals)
Jim Cregan (guitar)
George Ford (bass)
Francis Monkman (keyboards)
Stuart Elliott (drums)
This band was assembled in August 1976 by Phil Manzanera, who was guitarist in Roxy Music. Roxy band was 'frozen' for a while, so Manzanera started this project. Originally intended to be only a live event, Manzanera has put different 801 lineups every time he wasn't too busy. But to me, their first lineup was really incredible.
Phil Manzanera (guitar)
Lloyd Watson (guitar, vocals)
Bill McCormick (bass, vocals)
Brian Eno (keyboards)
Francis Monkman (keyboards)
Simon Phillips (drums)
They played three concerts: Cromer, Reading Festival, and Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, where they recorded the material for 801 Live, a fantastic album. In September 1976, the members were involved in their own projects. Manzanera joined Bryan Ferry Band (with Chris Mercer), Brian Eno kept on doing his solo thing, and Francis went to his new project.
(Francis (just visible), after
Herbie Flowers)
John Williams is a great classical guitarist who has a long discography. In the early 70s, he started making some mixtures between classical and rock in his albums, using great sessionmen. His second 'crossover' album was Travelling (check the sessions page), where Francis played, also playing the title track. The success was so big that they finally decided working as a stable band in 1978. The lineup was:
John Williams (guitar)
Kevin Peek (guitar)
Herbie Flowers (bass)
Francis Monkman (keyboards)
Tristan Fry (drums)
Their first, self-titled album, Sky, included several tracks written by Francis: 'Cannonball', 'Westway' (co-written with Herbie) and the great, long (19:22) track 'Where opposites meet'. A fantastic debut album. It also includes modern arrangements on works by Erik Satie or Pipo. Some CD releases include an additional track written by Francis, 'Dies Irae'.
After a very succesful tour in 1979, they release their next album, Sky 2. It was a 2LP. Beware, it has been reissued on CD, but it misses two tracks: 'Gavotte & variations' (by Rameau) and 'Andante' (based on Vivaldi), as well as the very interesting liner notes written by the members. What can I say about this album? This is the album that turned me into Francis work. Again, a long (17:12), fantastic track, 'FIFO', written by Francis. Ah, it also includes a new rendition of Curved Air's classic tune, 'Vivaldi'.
But after a new tour, Francis leaves the band, around summer 1981, after the recordings for their third album were scheduled.
From his session days, Francis recorded a library album. Sometime later, it was released under the Energism name, although it was never intended to be release on its own.
After leaving Sky, Francis has never belonged to another band, although he has been always playing, of course. First step was releasing a solo album, Dweller on the threshold. Recorded with help from Andy Latimer (guitar, from Camel), Dave Dowle (drums, vocals, from Streetwalkers and Whitesnake), Darryl Way (violin), Juan Martin (guitar), Mike Giles (drums, from King Crimson), Tom Nichol (drums), Tristan Fry (percussion), as well as some featured vocalists: Graham Layden, Jools Rathbone, Peter Plant, etc. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios on May 1981.
He has recorded two more library albums, one in 1984 and another one in 1992 (Virtual classics, including Tristan Fry. Most tracks are from Francis, but some other are by Graham Preskett). They aren't available for now.
After the album, he returned to his classical roots. He has been playing with flamenco guitarist Juan Martin, as well playing solo concerts featuring works by Mozart or Beethoven.
Together again! Not only they had been playing together in Sisyphus and Curved Air. They also released a joint album, as we can read in the sessions page.
In 1986, they performed together again, classical stuff with a string quartet, amplified, at Glastonbury Festival.
Darryl Way (violin)
Francis Monkman (keyboards)
It was 1990, and Curved Air re-forms again just to play for a TV program.
Sonja Kristina (vocals)
Darryl Way (violin)
Francis Monkman (keyboards)
Rob Martin (bass)
Florian Pilkington-Miksa (drums)
As I've said before, Francis got more involved with classical music, having played several recitals (mostly all-Bach), including one in 1996 at Westminster Cathedral.
That's where the good news arrive! Francis has just released a brand new album! It's called 21st Century Blues, and it's credited to Francis Monkman & The Virtuous-Realiti Band. With help from Julia Rathbone on vocals (in the 'Another day' track). It comprises 14 tracks, and it's a very interesting, innovative, surprising and unusual album. It can be ordered from Francis Monkman's own web site, at http://www.afkm.com.
Still shocked about the great quality, I've decided
to write (and publish) my own review for the album. That's my opinion:
| 21st Century Blues
- my own review
The tracks: “Poisonality” (9:42)
“Train dun gone
crazy” (5:47)
“Delta bitstream
blues” (3:43)
“Another day” (7:08)
“Heard in dreams”
(4:50)
“21-bar blues”
(7:02)
“At the court of
the King” (1:50)
“The four guitarists
of the Apocalypse (you got to admit)” (6:32)
“Harvest time”
(4:45)
“Rinky-dink public
school” (4:42)
“Acid casino” (3:05)
“Found in space”
(6:06)
“Dispossession
blues / Small planet blues” (9:28)
“iftruth” (4:41)
And now, some conclusions: The album is fantastic, although it needs to be listened carefully many times before starting “recognizing” the songs. That is, it’s NOT an easy album, but it is definitely worth the effort. You're getting more and more from it every new listening, and that's something that you can't say about many 'instant', 'fast-food' albums. For people that usually consider Francis Monkman as a keyboardist, the biggest surprise comes when you realize the album is guitar-based. Lots of guitars flow through the tracks. Of course, there are many keyboards, as well as bass and drums and some other instruments, but this shows how clearly Francis has rediscovered his love for guitars. We shouldn't forget he was the one who played all the guitar parts on Curved Air first albums, sharing both tasks (keyboards and guitars) live on stage. For quite obvious reasons, Francis didn't use guitar while in Sky (even though he also played guitar in their great suite, "FIFO", written by Francis), and although he invited Andy Latimer (from Camel) to play guitar in his first solo album, the magnificent "Dweller on the threshold" (I'll also write a review for it soon - great songs, and great guest players: members of King Crimson, Whitesnake, Camel, Curved Air and Sky), now he has decided it was time to play guitar again. Believe me, you can't but being happy for this decision, after listening to the album. |
He has lots of projects on the way. He has also worked up an idea he'd started working on in the early '80s, originally sequenced on synth, for orchestra and synth. It's called 'Urdance', something of the sound/harmonic world of Sacre. A reworking is due, this time with less 'live instrumentation', it's quite a piece (the orch version expanded to 33 minutes -- an 'internal ballet', he subtitled it).
He also has some recorded works, and they'll probably be available some day from his website, so check it often (http://www.afkm.com).
In 1979, long before he quit Sky, Francis composed and played the music for the British movie The long good Friday. Directed by John MacKenzie. Starring Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren, you can also find Pierce Brosnan (Bond ... James Bond). The musicians who play here are: Francis Monkman (keyboards), plus his bandmates in Sky: Kevin Peek (guitar), Herbie Flowers (bass), Tristan Fry (drums). Also with Tommy Eyre (keyboards), Ron Aspery (sax, from Back Door with Colin Hodgkinson).
He also wrote the music for The Innocent,
another movie directed by John MacKenzie. Starring Liam Neeson (from 'Schindler's
List' fame, although I'd bet he'll be more known from now on because of
appearing in 'Star Wars, episode I'), Jennifer O'Neill (Summer of '42)
and Miranda Richardson. Unfortunately, it wasn't released as an album,
so you can only listen to the music while watching the movie.
Sessions
Press here to read about Francis Monkman sessions
Family tree
Coming soon (I hope so!).
Thanks section
Very special thanks to: Francis Monkman, for his patience, kindness, help and support.
Special thanks to: my friend Alex Gitlin, for lots of scans, and many other things; my friend Boris Shnitzer, for info and backup, Tony Mortlock, for his kind messages and well as for some scans (check his lovely Curved Air site!).
Thanks to: Jon Hinchliffe, for support.
If you can contribute (with additions, corrections, opinions, etc.), please, send me an e-mail message at mterol@myrealbox.com
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