Elek Bacsik
Encyclopedia
Elek Bacsik was a Hungarian
-born American jazz
violin
ist and guitarist
.
Bacsik was born in Budapest
, the son of Arpad Bacsik and Erzsebet Pocsi. He was of Romani ethnicity and studied violin at the Budapest Conservatory, but found his primary musical inspiration in bebop
pioneers Dizzy Gillespie
and Charlie Parker
. He was also the cousin of Django Reinhardt
. In his early years he travelled as a musician to Lebanon, Spain, Portugal and Italy. He worked in Paris
in the early 1960s and recorded with some well known French musicians such as Jeanne Moreau
, Serge Gainsbourg
and Claude Nougaro
as well as making solo albums. In 1966, he went to work and live in the United States and played at Las Vegas
. Bacsik recorded on guitar on Gillespie's Dizzy on the French Riviera (1962) and later appeared on violin with Gillespie at the Newport Jazz Festival
in 1974. His bebop violin playing is featured on his two albums as a leader, I Love You (1974) and Bird and Dizzy: A Musical Tribute (1975).
As leader
On Film
More information on his recordings on violin on AB Fable Bulletin : violin improvisation studies
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
-born American jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
.
Bacsik was born in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, the son of Arpad Bacsik and Erzsebet Pocsi. He was of Romani ethnicity and studied violin at the Budapest Conservatory, but found his primary musical inspiration in bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
pioneers Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
and Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
. He was also the cousin of Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was a pioneering virtuoso jazz guitarist and composer who invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique that has since become a living musical tradition within French gypsy culture...
. In his early years he travelled as a musician to Lebanon, Spain, Portugal and Italy. He worked in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in the early 1960s and recorded with some well known French musicians such as Jeanne Moreau
Jeanne Moreau
Jeanne Moreau is a French actress, singer, screenwriter and director.She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française...
, Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
and Claude Nougaro
Claude Nougaro
Claude Nougaro was a French songwriter and singer.Claude Nougaro was born in Toulouse to a respected French opera singer, Pierre Nougaro, and an Italian piano teacher, Liette Tellini. He was raised by his grandparents in Toulouse where he heard Glenn Miller, Édith Piaf and Louis Armstrong on the...
as well as making solo albums. In 1966, he went to work and live in the United States and played at Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. Bacsik recorded on guitar on Gillespie's Dizzy on the French Riviera (1962) and later appeared on violin with Gillespie at the Newport Jazz Festival
Newport Jazz Festival
The Newport Jazz Festival is a music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. It was established in 1954 by socialite Elaine Lorillard, who, together with husband Louis Lorillard, financed the festival for many years. The couple hired jazz impresario George Wein to organize the...
in 1974. His bebop violin playing is featured on his two albums as a leader, I Love You (1974) and Bird and Dizzy: A Musical Tribute (1975).
Partial discography
As sideman- 1962 : Dizzy GillespieDizzy GillespieJohn Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
, Dizzy on the French RivieraDizzy on the French RivieraDizzy on the French Riviera is a 1962 live album by Dizzy Gillespie, arranged by Lalo Schifrin. -Track listing:# "No More Blues" – 10:20# "Long, Long Summer" – 5:15...
(Philips RecordsPhilips RecordsPhilips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
) — on guitar - 1963 : Dizzy Gillespie, New WaveNew Wave (Dizzy Gillespie album)-Track listing:# In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town # Careless Love # Chega de Saudade # Taboo # Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You # One Note Samba # Manhã de Carnaval# Pergunte ao Joao-Personnel:* Tracks 1, 2, 5:Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet...
(Philips Records) — on guitar - 1963 : Serge GainsbourgSerge GainsbourgSerge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
, Gainsbourg Confidentiel (Philips Records) - 1965 : BarbaraMonique SerfMonique Andrée Serf , known as Barbara , was a popular French female singer...
, Barbara chante Barbara (Philips Records) — on guitar - 1966 : Jeanne MoreauJeanne MoreauJeanne Moreau is a French actress, singer, screenwriter and director.She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française...
, 12 chansons nouvelles (Jacques Canetti)
As leader
- 1962 : The electric guitar of the eclectic Elek Bacsik (Fontana) — on guitar
- 1962 : Bossa nova (EP; Fontana)— on guitar
- 1963 : Jazz Guitarist (LP; Philips)— on guitar
- 1963 : Guitar Conceptions (Fontana) — on guitar
- 1974 : I Love You (Bob Thiele label) — on violin and violectraViolectraViolectra is the trade name of an electric violin produced by Barcus-Berry with the pitch equivalent of an acoustic tenor violin, sometimes called baritone violin. It is tuned an octave below normal violin; i.e. between viola and cello. It was developed in USA by Barcus-Berry in the early 1960s but...
- 1975 : Bird and Dizzy: A Musical Tribute (Flying Dutchman) — on violin and violectra
On Film
- 1958 "Bell, Book and Candle," appeared with Candoli brothers in Zodiac nightclub scenes
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