Elek Bacsik was born in 1926 into a Hungarian gypsy family. He studied the violin at the Conservatory in Budapest but taught himself the guitar and went on to play jazz in Switzerland and France where he played with Dizzie Gillespie.
In 1962 he recorded a LP as leader with the alliterative title "The Electric Guitar of the Eclectic Elek Bacsik". On this album his style displays a much closer affinity to Tal Farlow and Johnny Smith than the European gipsy genre. He overdubs a second, mainly rhythm, guitar part.
In 1966 he moved to the USA but became submerged in the cabaret scene in Las Vegas. In 1973 he began working with Bob Thiele, playing electric violin as well as guitar, and released two more LPs as well as playing at the Newport Festival. But just as this seemed to be bringing him to public attention once more he faded back into the shadows. He died in 1993 largely forgotten by the jazz community.
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