Jon Gibson, a beloved minimalist composer and founding member of the Philip Glass Ensemble, has died. Gibson passed away due to unspecified health problems. He was 80 years old.
In addition to his work with Glass, Gibson also performed with Terry Riley and Steve Reich. He also released a handful of solo albums, beginning with Visitations in 1973 and concluding with Relative Calm in 2016.
A compilation of archival recordings called Songs & Melodies: 1973-1977 was released earlier this year by Superior Viaduct.
News of Gibson's death was announced by Glass on social media. Read his posts below.
In addition to his work with Glass, Gibson also performed with Terry Riley and Steve Reich. He also released a handful of solo albums, beginning with Visitations in 1973 and concluding with Relative Calm in 2016.
A compilation of archival recordings called Songs & Melodies: 1973-1977 was released earlier this year by Superior Viaduct.
News of Gibson's death was announced by Glass on social media. Read his posts below.
To put it bluntly, the music wouldn't have happened without that. His aesthetic and technical ability was essential for new music. That's why everyone wanted to play with him. He brought the music to life. We loved him because he was Jon, a modest and quiet person,...2/3
— Philip Glass (@philipglass) October 12, 2020
that was part of his charm. But he was an essential part of the music itself. Jon had his own music. It was his own personal and emotional context. Only Jon Gibson sounded like that. Without players like Jon in the world of new music, how would we have done it? 3/3
— Philip Glass (@philipglass) October 12, 2020
