On May 12, 2023, Francis Monkman died aged 73. He was musician (keyboards, guitar) and movie score composer, member of bands Sisyphus which evolved in Curved Air, and founding member of band Sky. He recorded and toured with Renaissance, The Shadows, Al Stewart, Lynsey de Paul, Phil Manzanera, Brian Eno and Brian Bennett. As leader, Monkman released 14 albums.
Tag Archives: Francis Monkman
Yes: The Quest
On October 1, 2021, “Inside Out Music” label released “The Quest”, the twenty-second Yes studio album. It was recorded November 2019 – March 2021, at “Fames Project Studio” in Skopje, Macedonia, “Uncle Rehearsal Studios” in Van Nuys, California, “Curtis Schwartz Studio” in Ardingly, West Sussex, and was produced by Steve Howe.
Personnel:
- Jon Davison – lead vocals, vocal duet, guitar
- Steve Howe – vocals, vocal duet, acoustic and electric guitars, sitar guitar, rhythm guitar, Pedal Steel guitars, mandolin, koto, autoharp, preparatory engineering, guitar recording
- Geoff Downes – piano, Hammond organ, synthesizers, organ, mellotron, Fender Rhodes piano, preparatory engineering, keyboards recording
- Billy Sherwood – vocals, bass guitar, fretless bass, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, acoustic guitar
- Alan White – drums
- Jay Schellen – percussion
- FAMES Studio Orchestra
- Paul K. Joyce – orchestra arrangements
- Oleg Kondratenko – conductor
- Curtis Schwartz – engineer, mixing, recording sessions photographies
- Alen Hadzi Stefanov – orchestra sound recordist
- Jon Davison – preparatory engineer, vocals recording
- Billy Sherwood – preparatory engineer, basses recording, drums and percussion recording
- Teodora Arsovska – orchestra Pro tools operator
- Simon Heyworth – mastering
- Roger Dean – cover art, logo
- Doug Gottlieb, Glenn Gottlieb (The Gottlieb Brothers) – package design, Yes portraits
- Gigi White – recording sessions photographies
Track listing:
- The Ice Bridge – Jon Davison, Francis Monkman, Geoff Downes
- Eyes East
- Race Against Time
- Interaction
- Dare to Know – Steve Howe
- Minus the Man – Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood
- Leave Well Alone – Steve Howe
- Across the Border
- Not for Nothing
- Wheels
- The Western Edge – Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood
- Future Memories – Jon Davison
- Music for My Ears – Steve Howe
- A Living Island – Jon Davison, Geoff Downes
- Brave the Storm
- Wake Up
- We Will Remember
- Sister Sleeping Soul – Jon Davison, Steve Howe
- Mystery Tour – Steve Howe
- Damaged World – Steve Howe
Al Stewart: Past, Present and Future
In October 1973, “CBS” label released “Past, Present and Future”, the fifth Al Stewart studio album. It was recorded in April 1973, at “Trident Studios” in London, and was produced by John Anthony.
Personnel:
- Al Stewart – vocals, acoustic guitar
- Tim Renwick – electric guitar
- Peter Berryman – acoustic guitar
- Isaac Guillory – acoustic and classical guitar
- B.J. Cole – steel guitar
- Peter Wood – keyboards, piano, accordion
- Rick Wakeman – piano, keyboards
- Tim Hinkley – keyboards
- Bob Andrews – keyboards
- Bob Sargeant – keyboards
- Francis Monkman – Moog synthesizer
- Alistair Anderson – English concertina
- Bruce Thomas – bass
- Brian Odgers – bass
- John Wilson – drums
- Frank Ricotti – percussion
- Roger Taylor – percussion
- Richard Hewson – string arrangements
- Haim Romano – mandolin
- Dave Swarbrick – mandolin
- Luciano Bravo – steel band
- Lennox James – steel band
- Michael Oliver – steel band
- Krysia Kocjan – backing vocals
- John Donelly – backing vocals
- Mick Welton – backing vocals
- Kevin Powers – backing vocals
- Mike “Clay” Stone – engineer
- Mario Grattarola – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Al Stewart.
- Old Admirals
- Warren Harding
- Soho (Needless to Say)
- The Last Day of June 1934
- Post World War Two Blues
- Roads to Moscow
- Terminal Eyes
- Nostradamus
Sky: Same
In May 1979, “Arista” label released the debut, self-titled Sky album. It was recorded in 1978, and was produced by Haydn Bendall, Tony Clark, John Williams, Kevin Peek, Francis Monkman, Herbie Flowers and Tristan Fry.
Personnel:
- John Williams – acoustic guitars
- Kevin Peek – electric and acoustic guitars
- Francis Monkman – piano, synthesizer, harpsichord
- Herbie Flowers – bass guitar
- Tristan Fry – drums, percussion
Track listing:
- Westway – Herbie Flowers, Francis Monkman
- Carillon – Herbie Flowers, Ian Gomm
- Danza – Antonio Ruiz-Pipò, arranged by Kevin Peek
- Gymnopedie No. 1 – Erik Satie
- Cannonball – Francis Monkman
- Where Opposites Meet – Francis Monkman
Alan Parsons Project: Tales of Mystery and Imagination
On May 1, 1976, “Charisma” label released “Tales of Mystery and Imagination (Edgar Allan Poe)”, the debut Alan Parsons Project studio album. It was recorded July 1975 – January 1976, at “Abbey Road” and “Kingsway Hall” in London, “Mama Jo’s” in Hollywood, and was produced by Alan Parsons.
Personnel:
- Alan Parsons– lead vocals, guitar, organ, synthesizer, keyboards, recorder, engineer, projectron
- Eric Woolfson– lead and background vocals, synthesizer, harpsichord, keyboards, executive producer
- Andrew Powell– keyboards, arranger
- Ian Bairnson– acoustic and electric guitar
- Billy Lyall– piano, drums, glockenspiel, keyboards, recorder, Fender rhodes
- Francis Monkman– organ, keyboards
- Christopher North– keyboards
- David Paton– lead and background vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, bass
- Leonard Whiting– vocals, narrator
- John Miles– vocals, guitar
- Jane Powell – lead and background vocals
- Arthur Brown– vocals
- Terry Sylvester– vocals
- English Chorale– vocals
- Smokey Parsons – vocals
- Jack Harris– vocals
- Bob Howes – choir
- The English Chorale and Played Ti – choir
- Kevin Peek– acoustic guitar
- Laurence Juber – acoustic guitar
- David Pack– guitar
- Joe Puerta– bass
- Les Hurdle – bass
- Daryl Runswick– bass, string bass
- David Katz – violin, orchestra contractor
- Stuart Tosh– vocals, cymbals, drums, Tympani
- John Leach – vocals, percussion, cimbalom, kantele
- Burleigh Drummond– drums
- Dennis Clarke – saxophone, clarinet
- David Snell – harp
- Gordon Parry – engineer
- Tom Trefethen – engineer assistant
- Tony Richards – engineer assistant
- Pat Stapley – engineer assistant
- Chris Blair – engineer assistant
- Colin Elgie – artwork, design, layout design
- Hipgnosis– design, cover art
- Aubrey Powell– photography
- Peter Christopherson– photography
- Storm Thorgerson– photography
- Sam Emerson – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Eric Woolfson and Alan Parsons except where noted.
- A Dream Within a Dream
- The Raven
- The Tell – Tale Heart
- The Cask of Amontillado
- The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether
- The Fall of the House of Usher Eric Woolfson, Alan Parsons, Andrew Powell
- Prelude
- Arrival
- Intermezzo
- Pavane
- Fall
- To One in Paradise
Sky: 2
In April 1980, “Arista” label released “Sky 2”, the second Sky album. It was recorded in 1980, at “Studio 3” and “Abbey Road Studios”, and was produced by Haydn Bendall, Tony Clark, John Williams, Francis Monkman, Herbie Flowers, Tristan Fry and Kevin Peek.
Personnel:
- John Williams– classical guitars
- Francis Monkman– keyboards, synthesizers, harpsichord, piano, left-hand channel electric guitar
- Herbie Flowers– bass guitar, tuba
- Tristan Fry– drums, tuned percussion (drumkit, vibraphone, marimba, bass marimba, tympani, xylophones), trumpet
- Kevin Peek– classical and electric guitars
Track listing:
- Hotta – Kevin Peek, Herbie Flowers
- Dance of the Little Fairies – Herbie Flowers
- Sahara – Kevin Peek
- Fifo – Francis Monkman
- Adagio – Francis Monkman
- Watching the Aeroplanes – Francis Monkman
- Tuba Smarties – Herbie Flowers
- Ballet-Volta – Praetorius, arr. John Williams
- Gavotte &Variations – Rameau
- Andante – Vivaldi, arr. John Williams
- Tristan’s Magic Garden – Tristan Fry
- El Cielo – traditional, arr. Williams
- Vivaldi – Darryl Way
- Scipio – Herbie Flowers
- Toccata – Bach, arr. Kevin Peek, Holmes
Curved Air: Second Album
On September 9, 1971, “Warner Bros” label released “Second Album”, the second Curved Air studio album. It was recorded in 1971, at “Island Studios” and “Morgan Studios”, and was produced by Sonja Kristina, Darryl Way, Francis Monkman, Ian Eyre, Florian Pilkington and Colin Caldwell.
Personnel:
- Sonja Kristina – lead vocals
- Darryl Way – violin, piano, backing vocals
- Francis Monkman – guitars, keyboards, VCS3 synthesizer
- Ian Eyre – bass guitar
- Florian Pilkington Miksa– drums
- Peter Zinovieff – electroncs
- Colin Caldwell – engineer
- John Kosh – design
Track listing:
- Young Mother – Darryl Way, Sonja Kristina Linwood
- Back Street Luv – Darryl Way, Sonja Kristina Linwood, Ian Eyre
- Jumbo – Darryl Way, Sonja Kristina Linwood
- You Know – Darryl Way, Sonja Kristina Linwood
- Puppets – Darryl Way, Sonja Kristina Linwood
- Everdance – Francis Monkman
- Bright Summer’s Day ’68 – Francis Monkman
- Piece of Mind – Francis Monkman
Kate Bush: Lionheart
On November 10, 1978, “EMI” label released “Lionheart”, the second Kate Bush studio album. It was recorded July to September 1978, and was produced by Andrew Powell.
Personnel
- Kate Bush – lead and harmony vocals, piano, keyboards, recorder, arranger, assistant producer
- Ian Bairnson – vocals, acoustic, rhythm and electric guitar
- Brian Bath – guitar
- Paddy Bush – vocals and harmony vocals, harmonica, mandolin, pan flute, slide guitar, mandocello, pan pipes
- Andrew Powell- keyboards
- Richard Harvey – vocals, recorder
- Duncan Mackay- synthesizer, keyboards, Fender Rhodes
- Francis Monkman- harpsichord, keyboards, Hammond organ
- Del Palmer- vocals, bass
- David Paton- bass
- Stuart Elliot- percussion, drums
- Charlie Morgan– drums
- David Katz – violin, orchestra contractor
Track listing
All tracks by Kate Bush, except where noted.
- Symphony in Blue
- In Search of Petar Pan – music by Kate Bush and incorporates “When You Wish Upon a Star” lyrics by Ned Washington and music by Leigh Harline
- Wow
- Don’t Push Your Foot on the Heartbroken
- Oh England My Lionheart
- Fullhouse
- In the Warm Room
- Kashka From Baghdad
- Coffee Homeground
- Hammer Horror
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