Elek Bacsik
Elek Bacsik | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 22, 1926 Budapest, Hungary |
| Died | February 14, 1993 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | 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
With Barbara
- Chante Barbara (1974)
- Barbara Chante Barbara (1998)
- Gottingen 64–65 (1998)
With Lou Bennett
- Dansez et Revez (RCA Victor, 1960)
With Serge Gainsbourg
- Gainsbourg Confidentiel (Philips, 1963)
- 1963 Théâtre des Capucines (Universal, 2009)
With Dizzy Gillespie
- Dizzy on the French Riviera (Philips, 1962)
- New Wave (Philips, 1963)
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)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- 1926 births
- 1993 deaths
- Musicians from Budapest
- American jazz guitarists
- American jazz violinists
- American male violinists
- American people of Hungarian-Romani descent
- American people of Romani descent
- American Romani people
- Hungarian emigrants to the United States
- Hungarian jazz guitarists
- Hungarian Romani people
- Hungarian violinists
- Romani violinists
- 20th-century violinists
- 20th-century American guitarists
- American male guitarists
- 20th-century American male musicians
- Male jazz musicians