Tarik Bentlemsani is a guitarist based in Olympia, Washington. He can be seen playing Jazz, Classical, World, Funk, Pop, Rock and Bluegrass music, or anything else he is called on to play. His solo guitar style uses extended techniques, percussive effects, and alternate tunings to create the illusion of more than one musician playing. Using rich harmonic content and virtuosic melodic passages, Tarik is able to play bass-lines, chords, melodies and percussion simultaneously. Most of the projects Tarik is involved with bend and blend genres in some way or another. Influences include Lenny Breau, Michael Hedges, Django Reinhardt, Al DiMeola, Andres Segovia, Pat Metheny, Clifford Brown, Leo Kottke, John Coltrane, Andy McKee, Miles Okazaki, Justin King, Eric Johnson, Eddie Van Halen and others. 

Tarik’s musical training took place mostly in the classroom and in private lessons. However the street and music festivals played a large role as well. He began learning the rudiments of music in elementary orchestra playing violin, and played trumpet in band throughout high school while becoming more proficient at guitar. He would eventually graduate with a B.A. in music from Central Washington University, where he studied classical and jazz guitar. 

Tarik is a supporter of music in schools, and is an active private instructor and clinician. He has worked with many schools in Washington State, and has taught classes up to the college level. He maintains a private guitar studio in Olympia, WA. 

As a performer Tarik is in high demand. His compositions have won awards at the national level with an Independent Music Award (IMA). He is at home in the concert hall, clubs, streets, private events and house concerts. As a soloist he has developed a technique that can produce chords, melodic lines, bass lines, and percussive sounds simultaneously. Locally he has played with The Olympia Jazz senators, Climate Change, The Brown Edition, the Andy Omdahl Quintet, Hotcabi, and Podunk Funk. He has appeared on many recordings such as The Brown Edition –“Soulpocalypse”, And “Podunk Funk”-Self titled. He has also recorded “Step Dance” an album of his own compositions for solo guitar.

Currently, Tarik is keeping very busy gigging, writing, teaching, recording, and taking care of his children.