Published on May 28, 1999
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of listening to a
two-volume set of Celtic Fingerstyle guitar music. For someone who
loves acoustic music and superb guitar works, these discs were the
equivalent of finding the Rosetta Stone. One of the guitarists
whose work really stood out in this collection was French guitarist
Pierre Bensusan, and the few cuts he appeared on really made me
want to hear more of his work.
With the recent release of
Nice Feeling, a compilation of Bensusan’s first six albums
on the Rounder label, my wish has been granted. And while there are
a few curveballs thrown at the listener on this disc, it again
showcases the incredible talent that Bensusan has on the
six-string.
Let’s get to the surprises first. I will admit that I was not
excited about the prospects of hearing saxophone and vocals added
to Bensusan’s playing, and while both don’t really add anything
special to the mix, their sparing presence doesn’t take away from
the music, either. The two tracks featuring saxophone – “Flemish
Suite With Apples” and “Lord Hook Of Cumbria” – are still great
tracks to listen to, and Bensusan’s guitar work still rings out
strongly.
What probably makes the vocals work for Bensusan is that he uses
his voice as a background instrument, and doesn’t do more than to
just follow the melody of the song without adding words. In a
sense, doing this actually allows Bensusan to speak a universal
language with his music.
What is also special about Bensusan is that you get so wrapped
up in his playing that the long tracks on
Nice (pronounced “neece”)
Feeling seem to be over just seconds after they start. Songs
like “Bamboule” and “Falafel” (which is a very playful song) hold
your interest and don’t let go until the last note has faded
out.
It should be noted that the term “Celtic fingerstyle” doesn’t
necessarily mean you’ll be listening to Irish music played on the
guitar. Instead, Bensusan weaves all of his influences (which
include Irish and Celtic music) into his songs, and creates a sound
that transcends any simple label one could put on it. Simply put,
Bensusan’s music must be heard to be believed and understood. (I’m
guessing watching him perform live is an incredible experience;
regrettably, I was unable to see Bensusan the last time he was in
Chicago.)
Nice Feeling is a great album to pick up not only for the
person interested in discovering more of Bensusan’s music, but also
for someone who wants to hear solid, inspired guitar work. It’s one
thing to strap on a Stratocaster and shred out a solo at a million
miles an hour. It’s another thing to use an acoustic guitar as a
tool to create something out of this world – and Bensusan is a
master at doing just that.