Pioneering US synthesist Patrick Gleeson has died aged 91

Pioneering synthesist and composer Patrick Gleeson has died aged 91. 

In a statement shared today (July 28), the Bob Moog Foundation confirmed that Gleeson passed away on July 19 on behalf of the musician's estate. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Charmaine McClarie. No cause of death has been given at this time.

While working as an English professor at San Francisco State University in the '60s, Gleeson began experimenting on an early Buchla synth at the San Francisco Tape Music Center. In 1968, he worked on a Moog III modular synthesiser, establishing Different Fur recording studio alongside John Viera.

Gleeson rose to prominence for his work with jazz musician Herbie Hancock, producing his 1972 album 'Crossings' and the 1973-released 'Sextant'; going on to tour alongside Hancock, Gleeson helped to popularise the use of synthesisers in a live setting.

Working as a producer, engineer and composer, Gleeson would go on to collaborate with several high-profile musicians, including Devo on their 1978 album 'Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!' as well as Brian Eno and David Byrne on their collaborative album 'My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts', released in 1980.

In 1976, Gleeson released his first solo album, 'Beyond the Sun', which earned him a nomination for "Best Engineered Classical Recording" at the 1977 GRAMMY Awards.

Throughout the '70s and '80s, Gleeson helped to develop a number of film and TV scores, including Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam War epic Apocalypse Now, Curtis Hanson's The Bedroom Window, and Knots Landing, the off-shoot of US soap opera Dallas.

In 2017, Gleeson retired from film and TV work, but continued to tour as a live musician, both as a solo artist and alongside legendary drummer Michael Shrieve and saxophonist Sam Morrison.

You can read the Bob Moog Foundation's full tribute to Patrick Gleeson here.

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, get in touch with her here.