Elek Bacsik | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 22, 1926 Budapest, Hungary |
| Died | February 14, 1993 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar, violin |
| Years active | 1960s–1970s |
| Labels | Fontana |
Elek Bacsik (22 May 1926 – 14 February 1993) was a Hungarian-American jazz guitarist and violinist. He was the cousin of guitarist Django Reinhardt.[1]
Career
Bacsik was born in Budapest, Hungary. He was the son of Arpad Bacsik and Erzsebet Pocsi.
He studied classical violin at the Budapest Conservatory before moving to jazz guitar.[2] He worked in a big band with Jozsef Quitter and Geza Szabo and recorded for the first time in his career with this band[1] in 1943.[2] A few years later he went on tour in Europe and Lebanon with Mihaly Tabanyi.[2] He was hired by Renato Carosone to be in a quartet with Peter Van Wood and Gegè Di Giacomo in which he played bass, violin, and guitar.[2] When he lived in Paris, he accompanied American musicians who were passing through, such as Lou Bennett, Dizzy Gillespie,[1] Quentin Jackson, Art Simmons, and Clark Terry.[2] He also supported French singer Serge Gainsbourg.[2] In 1966, he moved to the U.S.[1] and until 1974 accompanied Teresa Brewer.[2][1] In the 1970s he recorded as a leader on violin and electric violin.[2] He played at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1974 and ten years later at the Olympic Games Jazz Festival in Los Angeles.[2][1]
Discography
As leader
- The Electric Guitar of the Eclectic Elek Bacsik (Fontana, 1962)
- Guitar Conceptions (Fontana, 1963)
- I Love You (Bob Thiele Music, 1974)
- Bird and Dizzy: A Musical Tribute (Flying Dutchman, 1975)
As sideman
- Barbara, Barbara Chante Barbara (Philips, 1964)
- Barbara, Au Bois De Saint-Amand (Philips, 1965)
- Lou Bennett, Dansez et Revez (Phono 2017)
- Serge Gainsbourg, Gainsbourg Confidentiel (Philips, 1964)
- Serge Gainsbourg, 1963 Théâtre des Capucines (Mercury, 2001)
- Dizzy Gillespie, Dizzy on the French Riviera (Philips, 1962)
- Dizzy Gillespie, New Wave (Philips, 1963)
- Quincy Jones, $ (Reprise, 1972)
- Jeanne Moreau, Jeanne Moreau No.2 12 Chansons (Jacques Canetti 1967)
- Claude Nougaro, No. 2 (Philips, 1963)
Bibliography
- Balval Ekel: Elek Bacsik - Un homme dans la nuit. La-Neuville--Aux-Joutes. 2015. ISBN 978-2-36336-170-7
- Géza Gábor Simon: Season of the Rain - Elek Bacsik Bio-discography / Esős évszak - Bacsik Elek bio-diszkográfia, Budapest, 2016. ISBN 978-963-12-4707-7
References
Sources
- Barnett, Anthony. Almost Like Being in Bop: a Not-So-Brief Account of the Hidden History of the Swing to Recorded Bebop and Progressive Violin in America and Europe. Lewes, East Sussex: AB Fable, 2005. More information on his recordings on violin on AB Fable Bulletin : violin improvisation studies
External links
- Elek Bacsik on www.djangostation.com (in French)
- Biography on www.about-django.com (in French)