Wu Wei

Pierre Bensusan has always used his voice as a supporting harmonic instrument behind his acoustic guitar, but on Wu Wei, his vocals are more prominent than ever. Only three songs on the recording feature actual lyrics, but on four of the five other songs, the Parisian musician uses scat syllables as a second lead instrument; sometimes the voice accompanies the guitar, and sometimes the guitar accompanies the voice. The result is a new sound for a guitarist who has long dazzled listeners with his facility and his John Renbourn-like mix of Celtic, jazz, and Arabic influences. --Geoffrey Himes