Gibson, Jon
Visitations
Since the mid-1960s, Jon Gibson has played a key role in the development of American avant-garde music. No other artist has performed in the world premieres of Terry Riley's 'In C,' Steve Reich's 'Drumming,' and Philip Glass' 'Einstein On The Beach,' three major works that changed the course of musical history. While his expertise on woodwind instruments made Gibson a go-to collaborator in Reich's, Glass', and La Monte Young's ensembles, less known are his remarkable contributions as a composer and visual artist. 'Visitations', Gibson's first release under his own name, originally appeared in 1973. Here Gibson departs from the structured repetition of his minimalist peers and takes the listener on an aural journey, spanning organic field recordings, ambient flutes and synthesizers, and free-flowing textures. The two side-long tracks on 'Visitations' are at once solemn and unsettling, making this an astonishing debut. This first-time vinyl reissue is recommended to fans of Cluster, Harold Budd and Phill Niblock.