Jackie Orszaczky & Tibor Tatrai

Jackie Orszaczky & Tibor Tatrai - Deserted Downtown - 2007 - Vitamin

Stunning album with an eclectic mix of original compositions, based on soul and rhythm and blues, but with it's own unique and contemporary interpretation of the R&B style. On the album., the late Jackie Orszaczky is reunited with former Syrius colleague, Tibor Tatrai , a master blues guitarist whose unique guitar style adds to the quality of this excellent recording. Check out the great 2001 jazz-rock fusion album, "Syrius Live in Pak". Also watch Tibor Tatrai's magnificent version of "Little Wing" @

Tibor Tatrai/Little Wing/youtube

TRACKS

(1) Piece of My Heart
(2) Send Me a Doctor
(3) Swiss Beret
(4) Confidental
(5) Nothing But the Truth
(6) Seven Long Years
(7) Tiszta szívvel
(8) Madeleine
(9) Sure Thing
(10) Cutting Eoom Floor
(11) Say What You Say
(12) Oh My Loneliness

Credits for all songs shared by Jackie Orszaczky, Tibor Tatrai and Tina Harrod

MUSICIANS

Tibor Tatrai (guitar)
Jackie Orszaczky (piccolo bass, electric bass and vocals)
Tina Harrod (vocals)
Hamish Stuart (drums & percussion)
Dave Symes (electric and acoustic bass)
Clayton Doley (Hammond organ)
Aron Ottignon (piano)
James Greening (trombone)
Anthony Kable (trombone)
Matt Ottignon (tenor sax)
Phil Slater (trumpet)
Jade McRae (backing vocals)
Virna Sanzone (backing vocals)

REVIEWS

Hungarian born Jackie Orszaczky has called Sydney home for almost half his life and during that time he has been at the heart of some of this country's most original and creative bands. From the spacey avant garde jazz/rock of Syrius through the funky dance outings of Jump Back Jack to the refined but deeply soulful groove of The Grandmasters, Jackie's musical journey is one that knows no ending. And it's one that is constantly sidetracking to invent such groundbreaking projects as the legendary Industrial Accident and the decidely offbeat Budget Orchestra. As well as producing, arranging and as a much sought after session player on other people's albums, Jackie has released over ten albums in his own right including the highly acclaimed 1996 release "Family Lore". The latest "DESERTED DOWNTOWN", a collaboration with fellow Hungarian, guitarist Tibor Tatrai, marks yet another milestone in Jackie's illustrious career. The album is a diverse and eclectic mixture of original compositions with the songwriting credits shared by Jackie, Tibor and vocalist Tina Harrod. In many ways the album is a reflection of the multifaceted and ever evolving nature of Jackie's music, drawing at times from the rich traditions of soul and rhythm and blues but always infused with his own unique and very contemporary slant on these genres. On "Deserted Downtown" Jackie is reunited with former Syrius compatriot Tibor Tatrai, regarded as Hungary's finest blues guitarist whose beautifully clean and crisp picking tone permeates the entire album. www.orszaczky.com/docs/press_deserted_launch.html

Budapest 1971. Soon after returning home following his first visit to Australia with the band Syrius, Jackie's attention was caught by an 18 year old roadie - the guy played guitar, and he played it particularly well. He seemed to be a nice young fellow, despite that he was also the current junior heavy-weight boxing champ of Hungary. His name was Tibor Tatrai. Soon he became a permanent member of the legendary Syrius and a contributor to Jack's various projects over the next few years. In 74 the band split up. Jack settled permanently in Australia and Tibor stayed in Hungary but their friendship remained solid. They kept in touch, hoping that one day they'd work together again. Over the years they each established a musical career in their respective continents with Tibor achieving fame as the leading blues - rock performer in Hungary. The Sydney Olympics in 2000 was the unlikely event that saw them playing together again. Tatrai visited Australia as a member of the Hungarian cultural delegation and the Consulate General of Hungary approached Jack and his colleagues to perform with Tibor in Sydney. The old spirit was reincarnated at these gigs, which were soon followed up with more shows in Budapest with the same ³international² line-up. Naturally, the idea of recording a CD came up and in February 2001Tibor and hi s manager returned to Australia to lay down some tracks at Megaphon in Sydney with Jackie as producer. Tina Harrod and Jackie co-wrote with Tibor for some tracks. The outcome is Deserted Downtown, twelve bluesy tracks released in Europe in mid 2001 - and now made available in Australia. Tibor's distinctive guitar sizzles alongside Jack and Tina's smouldering vocals, supported by some of Sydney's most interesting musicians - young players and notorious established players alike. www.orszaczky.com/docs/press_deserted.html

JACKIE ORSZACZKY BIO (Wikipedia)

Jackie Orszaczky (8 May 1948 Budapest, Hungary - 3 February 2008, Sydney, Australia) was a Hungarian-Australian musician, arranger, and record producer, (jazz, blues, R&B, funk) playing mainly bass guitar, but also various other instruments. While in his 20s, Orszaczky was a well known rock guitarist in Hungary. Orszaczky toured Australia in 1970-71 with the jazz-fusion group Syrius. During the tour the group recorded an album in Melbourne, that was released both in Australia and Hungary. After returning to Australia in 1974, Orszaczky joining an experimental group Bakery. He then established a career as a leading musician in the front rank of much of the best jazz, soul, funk and rhythm & blues music created in Australia in the 1970s to the 2000s. He also continued to tour in Hungary, and continued to command crowds of 3,000 to 30,000 people at his annual Budapest concerts. Orszaczky performed with various groups: The Grandmasters, with partner Tina Harrod; Jump Back Jack; the Godmothers; The Orszaczky Budget Orchestra; and, the Jackie Orszaczky Band. He was musical director and arranger for the Marcia Hines, and wrote arrangements and orchestrations for The Whitlams, You Am I, Hoodoo Gurus, Tim Finn, Savage Garden, Hoodoo Gurus, Grinspoon and Leonardos Bride. He also collaborated with Tony Buck, Chris Abrahams, and Andrew Robson. His last gig was at the Macquarie Hotel in Surry Hills on 24 January 2008, a night the trombonist James Greening described as unbelievable. "Since his illness (cancer) he continued to sing better and better every time I played with him," said Greening, who played with Orszaczky for 25 years. "It was inspiring and really empowering." In the early 1990s, Orszaczky developed the 'piccolo' bass, a high-tuned bass guitar with light gauge bass strings pitched either at D, G, C, F or E, A, D, G. This instrument became his signature in the later years.