[2] Gibson began his career as a studio musician in New York City, often working with James Brown.
Best known for his work on the original motion picture version of Grease (1978) and the Broadway musicals Steel Pier (1997) and Cabaret (revival, 1998),[1] Gibson frequently worked with the famous composer-lyricist partnership of John Kander and Fred Ebb; his long-standing relationship with Kander began with Woman of the Year (1981).
He orchestrated solo shows for dancers and performers, including Liza Minnelli, and, with Jonathan Tunick, the 1993 musical revue, A Grand Night for Singing.
Gibson was known for a big, jazzy musical sound with plenty of brass, which dancers love.
Gibson's wife donated his archive to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in 2006.