I saw Pierre play a long time ago, in Toronto, at the old Bamboo Club on Queen Street. It was a Tuesday night, sometime in the 90s. The sparse crowd knew the player and his music. We hung on every note, every run, every flurry of virtuosity.
How I came to know Pierre’s work is a bit fuzzy in my memory. I use to listen to a lot of solo acoustic guitar – Micheal Hedges, Leo Koetke, Don Ross – and I think I read an article that mentioned Bensusan in this group. Who was this Bensusan, I asked?
That was a long time ago. I have collected many of Pierre’s works and marveled at his musical genius. He was recently voted the best guitarist in the world by the readers of Guitar Player magazine and it is hard to imagine anyone playing much better.
If you are a guitar player, you will like this video of him, apparently in his kitchen, explaining the DADGAD alternative tuning in which he composes and plays:
If you are not a player but appreciate virtuosity, you should check him out playing one of his signature tunes “Wu Wei”.
Enjoy!
