Alliance Francaise De St Louis Presents France's Guitar Master Pierre Bensusan

The Alliance Francaise de St Louis Welcomes Back France's French Guitar Master Pierre Bensusan.

French-Algerian acoustic guitar virtuoso, vocalist and composer Pierre Bensusan is excited to return to tour North America. In early 2020, he began his USA CD release tour but unfortunately a fledgling pandemic cut that tour shot. He is now back for his 2022 tour, pleased to finally perform for audiences and fans. The Alliance Francaise de St Louis presents him in concert once again, Wednesday March 16th at 7:00 PM
Learn more at https://www.alliancestl.org/events/2022-bensusan-concert
Purchase tickets https://www.pierrebensusan.com/store_viewproduct.asp?ID=569
or via phone at 314-432-0734.

The first leg of this 100 date concert tour which includes guitar clinics began in late February with a sold-out private concert in Virginia and continues from March 3rd through the month of May; from NC heading West through the southern states, all the way to the West Coast, then up-coast to BC. The second leg will resume in September through November, starting in WA, going East through the Northern states, the Dakotas, Manitoba, The Great Lakes, the Mid-West, Ontario, New York, Quebec, New England, East Coast, back to NC. Complete tour itinerary with ticket ordering links here: https://www.pierrebensusan.com/tour.asp

"After a two year hiatus, staying home, playing, writing and longing to share the music live with you once more, it will be a blast to finally go on tour again throughout the USA & Canada." Bensusan continues: "I'm overjoyed to at last perform my songs from the « Azwan » album, and share my brand new book « Guitar Collection » published by Hal Leonard"

It's as if the guitar has been given free reign to play itself! French-Algerian acoustic guitar virtuoso, vocalist and composer Pierre Bensusan, nicknamed "Mr. DADGAD", has taken his unique sound to all corners of the globe. Winner of the Independent Music Awards for his triple live album "Encore", voted Best World Music guitarist by Guitar Player Magazine reader's Poll, and winner of the Rose d'Or at the Montreux Festival for his debut album, Pierre is recognized as one of the greatest guitar players of the 21st century.

Born in Oran, French-Algeria, in 1957 when France was decolonizing its Empire, Pierre Bensusan's family moved to Paris when he was 4. He began formal studies on piano at the age of 7 and at 11 taught himself guitar. Influenced in those early days by the folk revival blooming in Britain, France and North America, Bensusan began first to explore his own diverse musical heritage and then moved to the horizons beyond. He signed his first recording contract at 17 and one year later his first album, "Près de Paris" won the Grand Prix du Disque upon his debut at the Montreux Festival in Switzerland.

Described by the L.A. Times as "one of the most unique and brilliant acoustic guitar veterans in the world music scene today", Pierre's name became synonymous with contemporary acoustic guitar genius, long before the terms New Age or World Music were invented. He has literally created a style of playing with the ability to make a single guitar sound like an entire band as he brings the audience on a mesmerizing musical journey. And yet, Bensusan is more than what any musician or music lover expects from a guitarist. He is a composer as well as a bilingual and original and improvisational vocalist, with his own scat technique.

Immortalized by the tune 'Bensusan' written in tribute by the late Michael Hedges, and referenced as an important inspiration to many other great musicians, Pierre Bensusan is a one-of-a-kind artist whose music transcends genre and time, with an uninhibited sense of musical freedom and expression, a sense of something both playful and serious, otherworldly yet right here; right now. His "manner" of playing defies classification - crossing world, classical, jazz, traditional, folk, pop and more. None can be isolated as simply "World Music", "Celtic", "Arabic" or "French"; rather, they represent Pierre's genuine vocabulary and the best part of our world in its current state, a world sharing itself. Not to be missed!

During a three year hiatus from international touring, Pierre Bensusan had been writing exciting new material and perfecting his guitar-playing for his new instrumental CD "Azwan"- released in 2020. Since its release, "Azwan" continues to garner glowing reviews.

"I chose to work with a French producer, Jean-Marie Ecay, who happens to be one of the most in-demand electric guitarists on the French jazz scene (tours with Jean-Luc Ponty, Richard Galliano) so that I could take advantage of his ears, experience and suggestions to bring the music in a different direction." says Pierre.

As well, the scores from "Azwan" plus a selection of popular performances pieces, technical considerations and insights were published in a new book "The Pierre Bensusan Guitar Collection", released worldwide by Hal Leonard (*except by "Fingerstyle China": for China, Hong Kong & Taiwan).

Listen to & learn much more about Pierre at: http://www.pierrebensusan.com

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