Acoustic
Disc proudly presents the long awaited CD release of Back
To Back, the classic 1979 summit meeting of the two giants
of jazz mandolin, Tiny Moore & Jethro Burns,
complete with a second disc of previously unreleased alternate takes and
a bonus track. Produced by David Grisman (who guests
on three tracks), Back To Back also features the stellar rhythm section
of guitar legend Eldon Shamblin with jazz masters Ray Brown
(bass) and Shelly Manne (drums).
Jethro Burns,
known to mandolin players as "The Great One," had a career in
show business for more than fifty years - most notably as half of the
comedy duo Homer & Jethro. His colorful style of 'note
perfect' mandolin picking continues to be an influence to this day. Texas
native Tiny Moore began working with Western Swing legend Bob
Wills in 1946 and created his own unique style on a single-string,
electric solid-body mandolin. The Back To Back sessions marked
the first meeting of these legendary mandolin giants - an event of historic
proportions.
The tunes on Back To Back are loaded with harmonic depth and swinging
improvisation. From the first groovin' notes Wes Montomery's opening title
track, it's apparent that this is jazz of another dimension. Tiny's electric
mastery sways and bends in tandem with Jethro's acoustic expertise, while
Shamblin, Brown and Manne provide an aural canvas that is simply unparalleled.
From the barn-burning "Jethro's Tune" to the luscious triple-mandolin
arrangement of Bill Monroe's "Moonlight Waltz," Duke
Ellington's "In A Mellotone," Count Basie's
"Tickle Toe," Moore's poignant ìReal Laid Backî and the Reinhardt/Grappelli
favorite, "Swing '39" - nothing was out of their league
The recently-discovered alternate takes that comprise the second disc
reveal "golden insight into what made these cats swing so hard," as Jethro's
musical protege, Don Stiernberg, declares in his liner
notes. The program also includes a gem that was not included on the original
LP, "Maiden's Prayer." So now for the first time on CD, we all can now
enjoy Back To Back in its' newly-extended form. |