Kenneth "Jethro" Burns

Mandolin Jazz by a Modern Master Bye Bye Blues is the second and final volume of mandolin genius Jethro Burns' last recordings. A companion to Volume I, Swing Low, Sweet Mandolin, this set features 22 new tracks of classic swing and jazz standards that Jethro recorded with guitarist Don Stiernberg over the last two years of his life, documenting his favorite music. The package also contains rare unpublished photos and an interview with this mandolin giant.

"Up a Lazy River," "Mood Indigo," "California Here I Come," "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" and the title track are some of the familiar tunes on Bye Bye Blues. But all the music is vintage Jethro: chorus after chorus of swinging lines interspersed with the amazing chord-melody technique Jethro invented for solo mandolin. "Jethro Burns was not just a great mandolin player," writes Don Stiernberg in the opening notes to Bye Bye Blues. "He was the great mandolin player of his time. And by bringing jazz to the mandolin, Jethro provided a crucial contribution to the instrument's history."

Both Bye Bye Blues and Swing Low, Sweet Mandolin are Acoustic Disc Archive Series releases which feature unique recordings of artistic and historical merit.

"Jethro's contribution to mandolin playing has been enormous-a great entertainer, a great musican and a real pioneer in American String Music. As a friend and guru to all mandolinists,he's stretched our fingers and our minds, and most importantly taught us all to laugh at ourselves. He's the only mandolin picker with the timing of both Count Basie and Jack Benny." - David Grisman