Guitarist and vocalist Pierre Bensusan is a musical alchemist. The French-Algerian guitarist's North African and Celtic influences blend with folk, jazz, and new age styles for a singular sound. Accordingly, the musician does not easily fit into any one style.

Pierre Bensusan performs at the Burchfield Penney Art Center Auditorium on Tuesday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20-$22.50 general admission, $15 for students, available online, or by calling (716) 878-6011.

Six String Circus, the Hutch Tech High School gypsy jazz guitar ensemble, opens the show.

Over the course of his 35 years in the music business and 10 recordings, Bensusan's fingerstyle technique and experimentation with alternate tunings have garnered a worldwide following. His playing has earned critical salvos from such noted yet disparate axemen as Leo Kottke and Steve Vai. Bensusan has also picked up some interesting comparisons too, being called everything from the “the acoustic Hendrix” to the “Mozart of guitar.”

The title of Bensusan's latest album, Vividly, is apt. The recording creates picturesque soundscapes described by Guitarinternational.com as “a relaxed, café type atmosphere.”

Bensusan’s local performance is one of the last dates on his current North American tour.