Receiving this album for review the fact is I actually shed a tear when, upon opening my mail, I found the cover of this album cause my emotions to jump to regions of nostalgic memories deeply treasured.

Another fact is that, due to COVID 19, the virtual stoppage of all live concerts, and shifts in my scheduling priorities I had stopped following the career of Mr. Gibson (1940-2020) for the last few years and I wasn’t even aware that this disc had been released. I had heard that he had died in October, 2020. Gibson is a musician I first encountered, as most people had, via his omnipresence at concerts of the Philip Glass Ensemble where he was a founding member. Gibson’s performances of the saxophone solo in Glass’ “Facades”, which I first heard in 1980, are forever etched in my memory. And I caught pretty much every concert they did in or near Chicago from 1980 to perhaps 2000. So that little personal history gives you some idea as to why seeing this album was a “gut punch” of emotion to me.

Albums

I lifted this discography of Gibson’s releases from discogs.com and it does not include his work the Philip Glass Ensemble in which he was a member since 1968. It is probably not definitive but it provides some perspective on Gibson’s range of repertoire and his musical affiliations.

• Visitations 4 versions Chatham Square Productions 1973
• Two Solo Pieces 5 versions Chatham Square Productions1977
• In Good Company 4 versions Point Music1992
• S..E.M. Ensemble – Petr Kotik / Jon Gibson / David Behrman / Ben Neill – Virtuosity With Purpose. (CD, Album)Ear-Rational Records ECD 10341992
• Criss X Cross ‎(CD, Album). Tzadik TZ 80202006
• Phill Niblock / Jon Gibson – Darmstadt Essential Repertoire 12/4/2009 ‎(5xFile, MP3, 256)ISSUE Project Roomnone 2009
• The Dance ‎(CD, Album) Orange Mountain Music 70072013
• Relative Calm ‎(CD, Album)New World Records 80783-22016
• Jon Gibson’s Visitations Otoroku2017
• Violet Fire – An Opera About Nikola Tesla ‎(2xCD, Album) Orange Mountain Music70182019
• Songs & Melodies, 1973-1977 ‎(2xLP, Album) Superior ViaductSV1732020
• David Behrman with Jon Gibson & Werner Durand -Viewfinder / Hide & Seek ‎(LP, Album, Ltd)Black Truffle BT08220211

Gibson’s brand of minimalism resembles Glass’ at times but Gibson’s eclecticism, his mix of styles bear the fingerprints of a style which will be easily recognized by listeners familiar with some of his previous albums.

This is an album’s worth of music written for a performance piece with choreography by the wonderful Lucinda Childs (who choreographed Philip Glass’ “Einstein on the Beach” and commissioned Gibson in 1981 for this piece). Relative Calm (1981) is in four sections (or movements) each with its own character.

Tracklist

1. Relative Calm (Rise) (1981)
Composed By, Wind, Keyboards, Autoharp, Sounds [Field Recording] – Jon Gibson
Keyboards – Joseph Kubera
Percussion – David Van Tieghem

2. Q-Music (Race) (1981)
Composed By, Keyboards – Jon Gibson
Keyboards – Joseph Kubera

3. Extensions RC (Reach) (1981)
Sopranino Saxophone, Composed By – Jon Gibson

4. Return (Return) (1981)
Keyboards – Joseph Kubera
Percussion – David Van Tieghem
Saxophone, Composed By – Jon Gibson

Gibson’s fondness for jazz is evident here but the dominant style is the composer’s brand of minimalism. Relative Calm was commissioned and choreographed by Lucinda Childs with decor by Robert Wilson, it received its world premiere by the Lucinda Childs Dance Company at Théatre National de Strasbourg in
Strasbourg, France on November 26, 1981. It’s wonderful and it is a blessing to have this recording available.

This was released in 2016 on New World Records and is now available for streaming on Bandcamp. The excellent liner notes are by Kyle Gann and Dean Suzuki tell you pretty much all you need to know and the album sounds great. Thanks, Mr. Gibson, RIP.