Elek Bacsik
Elek Bacsik ( May 22nd, 1926 in Budapest, † February 14, 1993 in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, near Chicago ) was a Hungarian jazz violinist and jazz guitarist.
Originally from a gypsy family Bacsik begins at the age of 4 years playing the violin and later studied at the Budapest Conservatory. He joined from 1943 primarily as a guitarist in folk groups such as the accordionist of Mihály Tabanyi and took numerous on both with guitar, violin and bass and cello. Three years he was in the Hungarian army. In 1949 he left Hungary and entered a time in Austria and Switzerland with his friend the pianist Georges Cziffra, wherein he played guitar from 1945, he taught self-taught. After that he was more than two years in Lebanon, where he played both in dance orchestras as well as in classical orchestras. In 1951, he played in Italy (recordings with the trio of pianist and singer Renato Carosone Neapolitan ( 1920-2001 ) for Pathé, where he plays bass, violin, guitar ), in 1957 in Spain and a short time in Portugal. In 1959 he was in Paris, where he played with the American jazz pianist Art Simmons in a trio with Michel Gaudry on bass in Mars club near the Champs -Elysees. During his stay in France, he also played with jazz musicians such as Clark Terry, Kenny Clarke, Pierre Michelot, Dizzy Gillespie ( who invited him in 1962 to a joint appearance at the Jazz Festival in Juan -les -Pins, in which a live album was recorded ), Lou Bennett, Georges Arvanitas, Quincy Jones and chanson singers like Barbara, Sacha Distel, Serge Gainsbourg, Claude Nougaro, Juliette Greco and Jeanne Moreau. He also had success with Dave Brubeck adaptations for guitar ( "Blue Rondo a la Turk ", " Take Five "). Regular appearances in television shows, made him a kind of national celebrity. Re-released recordings from 1962 show it as elegant modern player of international repute, with clear influences from Wes Montgomery and Jim Hall, but also Tal Farlow and Laurindo Almeida designate as role models.
In 1966 he went to the United States, where he initially with Gypsy groups ( and recorded, such as " Zigani Ballet " ), as well as with the bouzouki group of Armenian violinist Hrach Yacoubian toured and then settled in Las Vegas where he also some plates recorded ( Theme from the television music, accompanying singers such as Tony Bennett ). At times, he also played violin in an orchestra accompanying Elvis Presley. 1974 brought him the producer Bob Thiele on the jazz scene back: he performed as a violinist with Dizzy Gillespie at the Newport Jazz Festival and took the promotional LP " I love you" with all- star cast ( Oliver Nelson, alto sax, Hank Jones, Piano, Bucky Pizzarelli, guitar, Ray Barretto, Percussion, Richard Davis, bass and Elvin Jones, drums ) and 1975 " Bird and Dizz - a musical tribute" ( on electric violin). Then he disappeared back to Las Vegas where he was concertmaster of the Orchestra of the singer Wayne Newton. In 1989 he played on the first jazz festival in Quebec, after which he played for several months in jazz clubs and restaurants in Quebec City and Montreal, 1990/1. In 1991 he suffered a stroke that paralyzed him partially. There was also a lung cancer, and he died returned to the U.S. in a hospital during chemotherapy.
Discography
- The electric guitar of the eclectic Elek Bacsik ( Nuages ), Pierre Michelot with (double bass), Michel Gaudry ( bass), Daniel Humair (drums), Kenny Clarke (drums). Collection Jazz In Paris (recording first at Fontana, 1962)
- Guitar Conceptions, with Maurice Vander (organ ), Guy Pedersen ( bass), Daniel Humair (drums). Collection Jazz In Paris ( recording first Fontana 1963)
- Dizzy Gillespie, Dizzy on the French Riviera, Polygram, 1962 ( first LP under the title "The New Sound of Jazz " with Lalo Schifrin, Leo Wright among others, Philips)
- Jeanne Moreau, 12 chansons nouvelles, 1966
- I love you, 1974 ( he plays electric violin, violin, a blues on electric guitar )
- Bird and Dizzy: A Musical Tribute ( Flying Dutchman, 1975)
- Serge Gainsbourg Gainsbourg confidentiel, Philips 1963