Elek Bacsik (22 May 1926 – 14 February 1993) was a Hungarian-American jazz guitarist and violinist. He was the cousin of guitarist Django Reinhardt.
Born in Budapest, he inherited his musical talent from his
father, a violinist in a gypsy orchestra. At 4 years old started playing the
violin. He later studied at the Academy of Music in Budapest
before moving to Jazz guitar. In 1943, he started to perform mainly as guitarist in folk music bands. As a sideman, he also recorded some 78 rpm records playing guitar, violin, bass and cello with Jozsef Quitter and Geza Szabo. Following his three year service in the Hungarian army, he left Hungary in 1949 and played for a while with his friend György Cziffra, a pianist, in Austria and Switzerland. He discovered bebop and bought all of the Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie records he could find. After that, he spent more than two years in Lebanon, where he appeared both in dance orchestras and classical orchestras.
before moving to Jazz guitar. In 1943, he started to perform mainly as guitarist in folk music bands. As a sideman, he also recorded some 78 rpm records playing guitar, violin, bass and cello with Jozsef Quitter and Geza Szabo. Following his three year service in the Hungarian army, he left Hungary in 1949 and played for a while with his friend György Cziffra, a pianist, in Austria and Switzerland. He discovered bebop and bought all of the Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie records he could find. After that, he spent more than two years in Lebanon, where he appeared both in dance orchestras and classical orchestras.
In 1951, he played in Italy, where he recorded with the
pianist and singer Renato Carosone. In 1957, he performed in Spain and Portugal.
Finally in 1959, Bacsik started playing jazz in Paris. He accompanied American
musicians who were passing through, such as Lou Bennett, Dizzy Gillespie,
Quentin Jackson, Art Simmons, and Clark Terry. He also supported French singers
like Barbara, Sacha Distel, Claude Nougaro, Juliette Gréco and Jeanne Moreau. Bacsik
also recorded a superb, little-known album with Serge Gainsbourg in 1963—Gainsbourg
Confidential. He successfully adapted
Dave Brubeck compositions to the guitar ('Blue Rondo a la Turk', 'Take Five').
Regular TV appearances made him a national celebrity. Unfortunately his fame
did not cross the Atlantic Ocean.
In 1966 he moved to the United States, where, at first, he
played and recorded with gypsy bands and toured with the Bouzouki group led by
the Armenian violinist Hrach Yacoubian. Bacsik later settled in Las Vegas,
where he recorded TV themes. He also accompanied
singers like Andy Williams, Tony Bennett and Teresa Brewer. For a
while, he played violin in an orchestra backing Elvis Presley. Bacsik had hopes of making a name for himself as a jazz musician. But with a name difficult to pronounce or remember and little in the way of mass-market recognition, his dream was increasingly tough to realize. Instead, he disappeared with his violin into the Las Vegas pit orchestras.
singers like Andy Williams, Tony Bennett and Teresa Brewer. For a
while, he played violin in an orchestra backing Elvis Presley. Bacsik had hopes of making a name for himself as a jazz musician. But with a name difficult to pronounce or remember and little in the way of mass-market recognition, his dream was increasingly tough to realize. Instead, he disappeared with his violin into the Las Vegas pit orchestras.
would reach the status he had achieved as a jazz musician in Paris years earlier. He disappeared from the front of the jazz scene for nearly fifteen years.
In 1989, we find Bacsik playing at the first jazz festival
in Québec, followed by a longer stint at jazz clubs and restaurants in Québec
and Montreal (1990/91). It was whilst in Quebec, Bacsik suffered a stroke,
paralyzing him partially. After several months in hospital, for visa reasons,
he was repatriated to the United States. He no longer had the ability to play
an instrument even though he still hoped to recover.
Transferred from hospital
to hospital, he was also diagnosed with lung cancer due to years of heavy
smoking. Very weakened by his disability and chemotherapy, he died 14 February 1993 in Glen
Ellyn, DuPage County, Illinois, USA. aged 66. According to his biography by daughter
Balval Ekel he was buried in a paupers grave.
Bebop as a musical style lost its luster in the 80s and Bacsik’s
contributions were largely forgotten. Bacsik was probably the most important
Hungarian-American jazz musician of our time and his oeuvre and legacy deserve
more research and attention.
As Marc Fosset, an excellent guitarist, explained in Jazz
swing journal (August 1987): he was ahead of his time. He was the first to come
up with an intelligent compromise between the gypsy soul and the American
style”
(Edited from All About Jazz with a little help from
Wikipedia & AllMusic)
4 comments:
Today’s musician was suggested by Egrog @ Egroj World blog.
For “Elek Bacsik – Guitar Conceptions” go here:
https://www.upload.ee/files/11746403/Elek_Bacsik_-_GuitarConceptions.rar.html
1. Conception 3:16
2. Tenderly 3:46
3. Work Song 3:29
4. Over The Rainbow 2:26
5. Loin Du Brésil 3:35
6. La Saison Des Pluies 3:56
7. Three To Get Ready 1:59
8. The Midnight Sun Will Never Set 3:22
9. Gemini 4:07
10. So What 3:52
11. Goodbye 3:55
12. Room 608 2:22
Double Bass – Guy Pedersen
Drums – Daniel Humair
Guitar – Elek Bacsik
Organ – Maurice Vander (tracks: 2, 6, 9)
Percussion – Pepito Riestria (tracks: 5)
Producer – Jean Tronchot
Recorded autumn 1963 in Paris.
Original LP issue: Fontana LP 885 516
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Thanks to Egroj for the links to albums below.
(PASSWORD = egroj)
Elek Bacsik • Nuages (rec.1962)
https://ulozto.net/file/jDxM0bS6NYMj/elek-bacsik-nuages-rar
Elek Bacsik • I Love You (rec.1974)
https://ulozto.net/file/yfs9V6MP3/bacsik-elek-i-love-you-rar
The 2nd photo is Romane (Patrick Leguidecoq) not Bacsik
Thanks Balik, Google Images get it wrong once again. Now hopefully replaced by Elek.
Regards, Bob
You are welcome on the FB:
https://www.facebook.com/elekbacsik/
:)
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