Pierre Bensusan is a French-Algerian acoustic guitarist widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the development of DADGAD tuning as a vehicle for world music composition. Born in Oran, Algeria in 1957 and raised in Paris, Bensusan began performing professionally as a teenager, developing a deeply personal style that draws from Celtic traditions, jazz harmony, flamenco technique, and Middle Eastern scales.
His playing in DADGAD — the open tuning popularized in Celtic music — transcends genre boundaries. Rather than treating it as a folk tool, Bensusan exploits its resonant drone strings to create introspective, harmonically rich compositions that feel simultaneously ancient and modern.
Key albums include Pres de Paris (1975), Solilai (1981), Wu Wei (2005), and Encore (2001). His live recordings are particularly celebrated for their intimacy and improvisational depth.
Bensusan has influenced countless guitarists who seek a more philosophical and compositional approach to acoustic fingerstyle. His workshops and masterclasses draw students from around the world. For anyone serious about DADGAD tuning, his catalog is essential study.