Tom Johnson, a renowned composer and music critic, passed away on Tuesday at his residence in Paris. He was 85 years old. His wife, the esteemed performance artist Esther Ferrer, reported that the cause of death was a stroke, which followed a prolonged battle with emphysema.
In the early 1970s, Johnson was an emerging composer in New York, seeking financial stability. He recognized a significant gap in the media coverage of the vibrant avant-garde music scene flourishing downtown. Seizing the opportunity, he proposed to write about contemporary music for The Village Voice. This led to the inception of his influential weekly column that would soon become a vital source of information for the local music community.
This was a pivotal time in the arts: galleries, lofts, and performance spaces like The Kitchen were hosting groundbreaking concerts by innovative artists such as Steve Reich and Meredith Monk. Johnson quickly established himself as the primary chronicler of this burgeoning scene. He once reflected, “No one realized at the time that one of the most significant genres of serious music of the century was developing, a genre that was to become known as American minimalism, and which would find imitators all over the world.” This statement, made in 1983 during his final column for The Voice, underscores his keen insight into the transformative power of the music he covered.
Throughout his career, Johnson meticulously documented the evolution of musical minimalism, notably chronicling the remarkable journey of local composer Phil Glass as he transitioned into an international sensation. However, his passion for music extended beyond the mainstream; he also highlighted the radical and experimental contributions of lesser-known artists. Among those he championed were:
- Yoshi Wada, known for his unique performances involving the singing through massive plumbing pipes.
- Jim Burton, who creatively amplified bicycle wheels to produce intriguing sounds.
- Eliane Radigue, who crafted mesmerizing drones using synthesizers.
Through his writings and compositions, Tom Johnson played a pivotal role in shaping the narrative of avant-garde music, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire musicians and critics alike.
