Dynamic bassist, vocalist and founding member of Yes, Chris Squire succumbed to leukemia this morning in his Phoenix home. His Yes bandmate, Geoff Downes tweeted earlier this morning, “Utterly devastated beyond words to have to report the sad news of the passing of my dear friend, bandmate and inspiration Chris Squire.”
Squire has long been considered on of the finest and most influential bassists in prog rock history — a key songwriter in his band Yes, Squire was the only member to appear on each and every Yes release.
The band will start a new tour later in the summer with Billy Sherwood handling the bass duties.
The group also wants fans to upload thank-you videos online to thank the band personally, as well as to donate to the Rex Foundation, a Grateful Dead-related charity.
The Pulitzer-Prize winning jazz saxophonist exploded on the scene with the release of his debut album, Something Else!!!!, in 1958. His unorthodox approach to the music eventually helped shape an entire genre. By 1959 Coleman released his masterpiece, The Shape of Jazz to Come, which showcased a full on avant-gard approach and opened up any predetermined structure of the music to overflow with improvisation at any given moment.
