Jon Gibson, a saxophonist and composer who played a foundational role in Minimalist music, died on Oct. 11 in Springfield, Mass., where he had been living for his last few months. The cause was complications of a brain tumor, said his son, Jeremy Gibson, a musician with whom he frequently collaborated. Jon Gibson, who also played flute and keyboards, was best known as a member of the Philip Glass Ensemble from its founding in 1968 until last year. “His technical abilities were beyond what anyone else was able to do,” Mr. Glass said in a phone interview, “and he brought everyone else around him up to his level. He was very gentle with everyone, and very generous.” Without Mr. Gibson, Mr. Glass added, “the music wouldn’t have grown in a certain way that it could grow.”

Source: New York Times October 19, 2020 19:15 UTC