‘Clear Air Turbulence’, Ian Gillan Band's groundbreaking album

The figure of Ian Gillan and his contributions to music are significant, even after his hiatus from Deep Purple, the band that catapulted him to success.

After Deep Purple temporarily disbanded in 1975, Gillan started a personal project called the Ian Gillan Band, which allowed him to keep his music and creative ideas alive.

His debut album, ‘Child in Time’, retains much of the essence of Deep Purple, both in its sound and its title. However, it was with ‘Clear Air Turbulence’ that he found the experimental space he was looking for.

This album fuses jazz, progressive rock and experimentation, characterised by its long and complex themes, with improvised instrumental passages typical of the 70s.

In 1977, the year of its release, punk was beginning to dominate the music scene, which limited its commercial success.

For the composition, Gillan had the collaboration of musicians such as Ray Fenwick, John Gustafson, Mark Naiseef and Colin Towns, as well as saxophonists and trumpet players who enriched the orchestral sound of the album.

The eponymous track is an excellent opening track, while ‘Money Lender’ is reminiscent of his time with Deep Purple, but with a touch of orchestration and funk.

‘Goodhand Liza’ and “Angel Manchenio” close this creative work, which reveals a progressive side of Gillan.

Nearly five decades after its release, ‘Clear Air Turbulence’ establishes itself as one of Ian Gillan's most innovative and complex works, cementing his legacy in music.