I’m saddened to learn of the passing of funk bassist and vocalist, the great musician Jackie Orszaczky
Jackie was one of the great musicians, a true muso’s muso who was always there for the up and coming jazz and funk musicians of Sydney, since the mid 1970s.
Before that he was part of the new cultural Avante Garde in Budapest with his revolutionary band Sirius, from 1968 through the early 1970s, along with others such as the noted Hungarian artist, the late Norbert Ivanyi, who was a collaborator with Jackie Orszaczky on a variety of projects at various times.
I became friends with Norbert via my friend and former business associate and fellow Director of Arrakis Internet Services, Mr James Vodanovich. Norbert was the Art Director for Arrakis Internet Services from 1995 to 1998. I have kept the flame burning for Norbert by continuing to host the website we developed for him in 1996-1997 at NorbertIvanyi.com
I first met Jackie in / around 1995 or 1996, not sure which year. James Vodanovich and Norbert Ivanyi introduced me to Jackie and I grew to love his music. I would often go to see Jackie perform with the various musicians and combos he would bring together, especially the massive Soul Caravan nights at the Harbourside Brasserie, the regular Grandmasters gigs there and the smaller more intimate shows at Round Midnight and of course the local gigs at the Rose of Australia, Erskineville.
No mention of Jackie’s musical exploits in Sydney is complete without acknowledging the awesome vocalist Tina Harrod, Jackie’s partner in music and life for many years.
From the Club Zamia website:
“The Sydney Morning Herald’s John Shand wrote:
Jackie Orszaczky and Tina Harrod, the Grandmasters have two outstanding
lead singers. Most bands would weep with desire at the thought of
having one such vocalist. Jackie croons and rasps; Tina purrs and
shrieks. When singing together, their voices mesh as one, aided by
impeccable phrasing.
Also in the Sydney Morning Herald Bruce Elder, reviewing the Family Lore album wrote:
What a voice! Grab a copy of Jackie Orszaczky & The Grandmasters
Family Lore and wrap your ears around the second track, Sex. In front
of slow, funky groove and Steven Ball’s soulful Hammond organ is
Australia’s youthful answer to Aretha Franklin. New Zealand born Tina
Harrod has one of those gorgeous vocal instruments, which just oozes
soul, sex and sensuality.”
Around 1996-1998 Arrakis Internet Services I produced a few web pages for Jackie, describing and featuring his music and promoting the Erskineville Music Festival that he was a lynchpin of. I probably still have an old archive of those pages somewhere.
It had been a few years since I last went to see Jackie play, as since I stopped drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes on a daily basis in 2001, I have been out of the pub music scene for a number of years now.
If I had not been so caught up in urgent business matters in the past couple of weeks, I would have known of Jackie’s passing sooner. It would have only been a few days before his death that I was speaking with Tudor Bucea and I asked how Jackie was; Tudor told me he was quite unwell. I wasn’t able to get to an art exhibition that Tudor was a co-exhibitor in at NSW Parliament House last Wednesday, otherwise I would have heard the news from him. Sorry I didn’t make it Tudor, I have been “under the pump” with some heavy business.
I’m sorry I missed your big farewell bash at the Harold Park Hotel Mr Grandmaster Jack, Brother #1 as the other brothers acknowledge you.
Vale Jackie Orszaczky (many amazing tributes to Jack on that official site), the funkin groove goes on…
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