Philip Glass

edit: darn server deleted my post- lucky I've become used to copy-and-paste posting here the last few days.  Still, Man-Erg said pretty much the same thing, so kinda pointless now, but...

"Einstein on the Beach" is a classic..."Glassworks" or "Song of Liquid Days" are both good starting points...I liked "Koyaanisqatsi", but you may need the visuals to get the full effect. If you're a fan of Bowie you may find the "Low" and "Heroes" symphonies well worth checking out.

 Enjoy! Glass is a bit of an acquired taste, repetitive and minimalist but very powerful. In that way he could be compared to Eno, but with less ambient textures and a more intense weight to the music- seems like there might be a classical Germanic influence, though through a completely modern filter. On the other hand, he definitely resembles his contemporary Steve Reich (whom I prefer) but with a relatively more accesible style. 

haas wrote: Can he be campared to the soundscapes of Robert Fripp, or Mike Oldfield, or something like that? And what is his Key album? (like close to the edge is for Yes, or something like that?)

What I've heard of Phillip Glass is considerably more musically complex than anything I've ever heard by Fripp pr Oldfield. Although I've not heard that much PG, what I have heard is more akin to minimilist music and in some shops in the UK was filed under classical, alongside the likes of Michael Nyman and Steve Reich. Its not really anything to do with pop, rock or prog in any way.

That was my impression, but I may be wrong.

Incidentally if you like cleever minimilist stuff then I can reccomend 'Different Trains' by Steve Reich. Its quite exhilierating

PG's music is very rhythmic, sequenced  and repetitive. there are repetitive female vocals through sequenced orchestral arrangements; that's why he is a minimalist; he is not really prog.

try photographer and north star.

^ It's always strange to me to hear artists like Philip Glass and John Cage (or even Pink Floyd or ELP) referred to as 'overrated'. I suppose I'd be more likely to agree if I thought that more than 0.01% of music fans had any actual exposure to their music.

Philip Glass did have a brief brush with rock/prog when Virgin released his North Star album back in the 70s on the back of recommendations by the likes of Bowie and Eno. It was heavily advertised in the UK music press, but didn't sell that well.

As other posters have mentioned, Steve Reich works in a similar vein - Music for 18 Musicians is a great introduction to his work.

Terry Riley is another minimalist of about the same vintage - A Rainbow in Curved Air was hugely influential on 70s prog, including giving Curved Air their name. In C is another great Riley piece, see if you can find the version by NY percussion ensemble Bang on a Can.