Jews, Jewish Music & Algeria Interview (2006)
10/18/2006
Interview for a Jewish newspaper in Cleveland (OH, USA) Questions by Ilana Wolpert Ilana Wolpert: 1. Growing up in a Jewish family in Algeria, were you exposed to much specifically traditional Jewish music (at home, in the Jewish community, synagogue--if you were at all a religious family--or even at weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, etc? If so, I'd love you to be specific about this music, and...
Interview Insound Magazine (Italy, 2005)
10/19/2005
Luigi Marinoni:Your latest work is surely a very mature record in which you seem to convey all the experiences you have gone through in these latest years. Pierre Bensusan It was great to work on Altiplanos. I spent 3 months in my home studio, to record, finalize some of the scores, go on tour to Sweden twice and resume and finish the recording for the last day of 2004. Most of the pieces ha...
The Georgia Straight (2005)
10/19/2005
THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT (CANADA)By Alexander Varty Bensusan Brings Aural Treats"It’s no wonder I think about food whenever I hear Pierre Bensusan’s new CD, Altiplanos: the Algerian-born guitarist and singer is an accomplished chef, to the point of including his own recipes for pumpkin soup and herbed shad in his brilliant instruction manual, The Guitar Book. Then again, I think about a lot of...
Rogue Magazine Interview (2005)
10/19/2005
INTERVIEW ROGUE MAGAZINE (CANADA) By Sue KavanahSue Kavanagh:1. Your first recording was done at the age of 17 (1974) winning an award -- Pres de Paris at the Grand Prix du Disque for Folk Music at the Montreux Festival in 1976. How did that affect you, happening at such a young age? Pierre Bensusan:At that time, I was like a train, going straight. I was learning fast and between the time I had ...
Acoustic Guitar Interview about Michael Hedges (2005)
10/18/2005
INTERVIEW ACOUSTIC GUITAR ABOUT MICHAEL HEDGES (USA) by Jeffrey Pepper RodgersJeffrey Pepper Rodgers:When did you first hear Bensusan, and what were your impressions of it? Did you know Michael yet? Pierre BensusanI cannot remember the year but it was by listening to the album "Aerial Boundaries". Yes, I knew Michael already as we had met when we played a double bill in San Diego a ye...
Interview SonPro Magazine (2004)
10/18/2004
INTERVIEW SONPRO MAGAZINE (USA) By Erik SchultzErik Schultz1. The show at the Tractor Tavern was outstanding and I enjoyed the many stories prior to many of the songs. What goes into writing your music? Pierre BensusanA full spoon of embodying the moment, 3 cups of inspiration, 2 cups of hard work and a pinch of good luck. Served hot or cold. 3. What are some of the differences touring around t...
Interview by Brian Gore for Mel Bay (2004)
10/18/2004
INTERVIEW BY BRIAN GORE (USA) For a book published by Mel BayBrian Gore:1. Describe the considerations leading you to specialize in the DADGAD tuning. Pierre Bensusan:Being self taught on the guitar, I went away from the academic approach and have played several alternative tunings, which you can hear on my first 2 albums Pres de Paris and 2. However, in 1978, I decided to stick with only one t...
Radio Michigan Interview (2003)
10/18/2003
INTERVIEW RADIO MICHIGAN (USA) By BryanBryan1. Do you ever use books, paintings or other literature as a starting point in your composition? Pierre BensusanI would be tempted to say that musical inspiration does not need any other medium although there is much inter-action between artistic disciplines in general. The starting point of music could be the resultant of an inner process, a random a...
Interview in fRoots, 2002
10/19/2002
Ian Kearey:You switched from classical piano to guitar at quite an early age. What were the reasons for this? Pierre Bensusan:Coincidence and neighbourhood. Also my father was a big Django Reinhartd fan and offered me a steel string guitar. Who were you listening to at the time? PB: Bach, Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, Cat Stevens, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Jony Mitchell, Simon & Garfunk...
Interview in The Journal, 2002
10/19/2002
By David Whetstone for The Journal, The Morning Newspaper for the North East of England. David Whetstone: I loved the new album. Did you enjoy making it - and if so, why? Pierre Bensusan: Thank you ! Oviously I did enjoy making it because a lot of these tunes have gone full circle from the writing to the playing mode on stage and touring. It was the right time to lay them down onto a recordin...
