PIERRE BENSUSAN
“Listening to Pierre’s music is rejuvenating. Beside his extraordinary touch and tone, the notes and melody appeal directly to the tender side of our human nature”
STEVE VAI“This is beautiful… Pierre is one of the GREATS!!!”
Tommy Emmanuel Cgp.“Pierre Bensusan’s music is a true inspiration.”
Suzanne Vega“Pierre is one of my favorite guitarists. He has created a new way of playing and is the king of the DADGAD tuning.”
MICHAEL HEDGES
ABOUT PIERRE BENSUSAN
When Michael Hedges titles one of his compositions “Bensusan”, you know that the inspiration behind it must be special and Pierre Bensusan certainly is. Guitarists from Leo Kottke to Larry Corryel, to Tuck Andress, Tommy Emmanuel, Mark Knopfler, Andrew York, Andy Timmons, to Steve Lukather… have sung his praises, and Steve Vai released three Bensusan albums on his label Favored Nations. And it’s not just guitarists who are so inspired by Pierre’s music, as a recent studio collaboration with him on Donny Osmond’s latest album “Start Again” goes to show.
If World Music means the fusion of traditional, contemporary, jazz, classical and pop music, then Bensusan is one of the most eloquent World Music musicians of our time. A pianist in his beginnings then self-taught on the guitar, the originality of his style makes him one of today’s greatest guitarists and composers for the instrument. Also called “The Prince of DADGAD”, his story is far from trivial and it is on stage that this artist has earned his stripes: among others, the Rose d’Or of the Montreux Festival, and being elected Best Guitarist of World Music by the readers of Guitar Player Magazine! His triple album “Encore” won the Grand Prix of the Independent Music Awards in the category Best Live Album… Since his first performances in 1974 in France, the guitarist has sold half a million albums and given thousands of concerts around the globe, both solo and through numerous collaborations.
Born in French Algeria, Pierre Bensusan is an adventurer of unusual lands. His almost “sacred” music is an intimate and orchestral hymn, a solo crossing on a multi-shell Lowden guitar subjected to the natural elements with sound molecules and finger pulp on an ebony fingerboard for open tuning – an unique and transparent technique, under the fingers of an adventurous pilgrim. Big emotion guaranteed.
“For me, Pierre can only justly be compared to someone of the stature of Keith Jarrett; so total is his mastery of the solo instrument, his dazzling harmony, his many innovations, and his deft command of counterpoint, the jazz idiom, folk expression, and all genres between and beyond. An entire history unfolds as he plays. But really, like Jarrett, the emotional depth – and this is where true artistry often likes to live – of many of his songs and compositions is all, well, breathtaking. With only his steel-string-acoustic guitar – and sometimes his rich, affecting voice – Mr Bensusan can disassemble your heart and hand it back to you restored and renewed. As he did to mine tonight. A true giant.”
AWARDS
- Ards Guitar Festival Lifetime Achievment Award (Northern Ireland 2014)
- IMA Award for Best Live Album, for “Encore” (USA 2014)
- “Album of the Month for “Encore” in Guitarra Totale Magazine (Spain 2013)
- “Intuite” named second Best Acoustic Album of all times in Guitarra Totale Magazine (Spain 2013)
- Guitar Player Magazine Readers choice award, for 2008 Best World Music Guitar Player (USA)
- 2002 AFIM (American Association for Independent Music) Award for Best Acoustic Instrumental Album
- Album du Mois/Album of the Month (Journal de Montreal/Canada)
- Album of the Year (fRoots/UK)
- Best Albums (Guitarist Magazine/UK)
- Bravo de la Redaction (Trad. Mag./France)
- Naird Award for “SolilaÏ” (USA 1983)
- Grand Prix du Disque Rose d’Or at the Montreux Festival for “Près de Paris” (Switzerland 1976)
Ticket Information:
Tickets $25
non-refundable
Event is BYOB
Schedule:
7pm – 7:30pm BYOB Mix & Mingle
7:30pm – Concert with Pierre Bensusan