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 Árpád Bacsik and Erzsébet Pócsi.

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 Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine (in French)
• Biography on www.about-django.com Archived 20 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine (in French)