Elek Bacsik (22 May 1926 – 14 February 1993) was a Hungarian-American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

guitarist and violinist. He was the cousin of guitarist

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Career

Bacsik was born in

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

, Hungary. He was the son of Árpád Bacsik and Erzsébet Pócsi. He studied classical violin at the Budapest Conservatory before moving to jazz guitar. He worked in a big band with Jozsef Quitter and Geza Szabo and recorded for the first time in his career with this band in 1943. A few years later he went on tour in Europe and Lebanon with Mihaly Tabanyi. He was hired by

Renato Carosone Renato Carosone (; born Renato Carusone; 3 January 1920 – 20 May 2001) was an Italian musician. Carosone was a piano prodigy and prominent figure in the Italian music scene in the second half of the 20th century. He was also a modern perf ...

to be in a quartet with

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and

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in which he played bass, violin, and guitar. When he lived in Paris, he accompanied American musicians who were passing through, such as Lou Bennett,

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, Art Simmons, and

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. He also supported French singer

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. In 1966, he moved to the U.S. and until 1974 accompanied

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. In the 1970s he recorded as a leader on violin and electric violin. He played at the

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in 1974 and ten years later at the Olympic Games Jazz Festival in Los Angeles.

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) *

, '' Gainsbourg Confidentiel'' (Philips, 1964) * Serge Gainsbourg, '' 1963 Théâtre des Capucines'' (Mercury, 2001) *

, '' Dizzy on the French Riviera'' (Philips, 1962) * Dizzy Gillespie, '' New Wave'' (Philips, 1963) *

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, composer, arranger, conductor, trumpeter, and bandleader. Over the course of his seven-decade career, he received List of awards and nominations re ...

, ''$'' (Reprise, 1972) *

Jeanne Moreau Jeanne Moreau (; 23 January 1928 – 31 July 2017) was a French actress, singer, screenwriter, director, and socialite. She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française. Mo ...

, ''Jeanne Moreau No.2 12 Chansons'' (Jacques Canetti 1967) *

Claude Nougaro Claude Nougaro (, ; 9 September 1929 – 4 March 2004) was a French jazz singer and poet. Life and career Claude Nougaro was born on 9 September 1929 in Toulouse to a respected French opera singer, Pierre Nougaro, and a piano teacher, Liette ...

, ''No. 2'' (Philips, 1963)

Bibliography

* Balval Ekel: Elek Bacsik - Un homme dans la nuit. La-Neuville—Aux-Joutes. 2015. * Géza Gábor Simon: Season of the Rain - Elek Bacsik Bio-discography / Esős évszak - Bacsik Elek bio-diszkográfia, Budapest, 2016.

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 o

External links

Elek Bacsik on www.djangostation.com

Biography on www.about-django.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bacsik, Elek 1926 births 1993 deaths Musicians from Budapest American jazz guitarists Romani 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 Male guitarists Hungarian Romani people Hungarian violinists Romani violinists 20th-century American violinists 20th-century American guitarists American male guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Hungarian male musicians