Ziggy and Miles were on the lineup for the Guitar Festival.
Photo by Romer Pedron
For 48 hours, Bryant Park welcomed The New York Guitar Festival as part of their summer Picnic Performance series.
The festival opened with a “Carnival of Classic Guitar” on Friday, Aug. 15 with French guitarist Raphaël Feuillâtre performing alongside Goran Ivanovic and Fareed Haque, Australian duo Ziggy & Miles, and Brazilian guitarist Gabrielle Leite Attendees enjoyed music along with dinner from food trucks or picnics from home on the lawn.
The second evening brought together a curation of genre-defying guitar players as part of that night’s “Misbehaving Guitar” theme. Founded in 1999 by WNYC radio host John Schaefar and producer Dan Spellman, this year’s lineup featured psychedelic punk rock to a mixture of folk and jazz that left the park buzzing.
“We love bringing all different kinds of arts and culture to the center of Manhattan for Picnic Performances,” Vice President of Public Events at Bryant Park Dan Fishman said. “It’s free, there’s no line. Our goal is to make it one of the most comfortable and accessible spaces to see the arts.”
Composer Gyan Riley, who is best known for his touring and recording work with two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee Paul Simon, opened the show. He performed a solo song, before bringing out the rest of his jazz ensemble that featured a drummer and bass. Riley’s guitar plucking was intentional and tight, yet the improvisational style felt smooth.
French-Algerian acoustic guitarist Pierre Bensusan showcased his mastery of the wooden instrument by strumming in a jazzy folk style. About two-thirds the way through his act, Bensusan showcased a beautiful solo on his acoustic guitar.
The Messthetics, a punk-jazz jam group created by Fugazi’s bass and lead guitarist headlined the event.
They were later joined by legendary avant-garde guitarist Marc Ribiot, and together the group stole the show. The rockers used lots of distortion and funky tuning as the sound waves reverberated through the crowd.
To attend another one of Bryant Park’s free picnic performances, presented by Bank of America, visit Bryantpark.org for additional shows through September.
