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Pierre Bensusan : Antiplanos

© 2005 Favored Nations

For a follow-up to his acclaimed debut on Favored Nations, 2001's solo instrumental recording Intuite, French acoustic fingerstyle guitar virtuoso Pierre Bensusan has put together a 10th solo album, showcasing a varied program of gorgeous vocal numbers, provocative improvised pieces, intimate ballads and strikingly original composed works on Altiplanos. "I didn't want to go back and do another solo thing in the same vein as Intuite," says Pierre. "I wanted to bring another element to this new recording, the vocal. So I have two songs sung in French -- 'Demain des L'Aube' and 'La Nuit Des Meteores' -- All together, the music hits in different places than the last album, with more textures and colors."

Recorded entirely at his home studio in the Champagne region of France, about an hour East of Paris, Altiplanos brilliantly showcases Bensusan's highly original and orchestral six-string style, which is marked by deft left-handed hammer-ons, percussive fretboard tapping, a remarkably nuanced touch and an uncanny sense of melodic ingenuity on the steel string acoustic guitar (a new custom model created for him by California luthier Kevin Ryan). Special guests on this captivating collection of guitar artistry include bassist Michel Benita, percussionist Blaise Boutlefeu and saxophonist Didier Malherbe (of the celebrated '70s prog-rock group Gong). But the primary focus here remains the accomplished and renowned fingerstyle guitarist, whom the Los Angeles Times called "one of the most unique and brilliant acoustic guitar veterans in what might most accurately be described as the world music scene today."

List Price: $16.99