Bryant Park Picnic Performance: New York Guitar Festival

On August 14 and 15, the New York Guitar Festival returns to Bryant Park with two free events that will be typically eclectic, occasionally electric, and always electrifying. From classical guitar favorites to Brazilian popular music, from punk-jazz to folk-based improvisations, the 27th annual NYGF will turn the Bryant Park stage into a showcase for the range of the instrument and the creativity of the people who play it.The Messthetics are a trio – that much is clear. Everything else is up for debate. Guitarist Anthony Pirog has played avant-rock, ambient, and freely improvised music, often in his own projects and in his duo Janel & Anthony. Bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty were the rhythm section of the famed punk band Fugazi. When the three of them get together, you can expect to hear all of the above, or none of the above. Gyan Riley and David Cossin play guitar and drums, respectively. Riley is the son of the groundbreaking minimalist composer Terry Riley, and began as the guitarist in his father’s All-Star Band. Gyan plays all the guitars - electric, classical, and bass– with chamber music elegance and brilliant virtuosity. David Cossin is the longtime drummer of the Bang On A Can All-Stars, making this an all-star All-Star lineup.Pierre Bensusan is an Algerian-born French guitarist who first came to attention 40 years ago with his own interpretations of Celtic music, with occasional forays into North African and other forms of global music. He’s since added improvisation, vocalise, and electronic effects to create his own sonic world. But he still plays guitar exclusively in the open tuning system known as DADGAD.Exploring virtually every aspect of the guitar’s personality, since 1999 the New York Guitar Festival has presented many of the world’s most influential guitarists at Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 92nd Street Y, and other world-renowned venues, large and small. The New York Guitar Festival is made possible by generous sup