Buried Treasures: Recorded Live in Mexico City

Read About This Recording

Dave Brubeck is one of the few jazz musicians who has done the near impossible. He has had a commercially successful career for over 55 years without compromising or watering down his music. Although he started out leading a part-time octet during 1946-49 that was so advanced that it rarely ever worked, he had better success with a trio in 1950. After recovering from a back injury, in 1951 Brubeck formed his first quartet with altoist Paul Desmond. The group became successful within a relatively brief period of time due to becoming one of the first jazz bands to be booked regularly on college campuses, thereby building up an enthusiastic audience.

Brubeck was always interested in polytonality (playing in two or more keys at once) and polyrhythms (utilizing at least two rhythms simultaneously). His percussive chordal solos contrasted well with Desmond's lighter-than-air alto. In 1959 with their recordings of Take Five and Blue Rondo A La Turk, the Dave Brubeck Quartet became the most popular group in jazz.

Although the band (with bassist Eugene Wright and drummer Joe Morello) would break up in 1967, they never ran out of gas. Buried Treasures, music from their 1967 tour of Mexico that was not released until 1998, features the quartet in top form. Among the highlights are Koto Song, Sweet Georgia Brown, Take Five and St. Louis Blues.

The combination of Brubeck and Desmond still sounds quite magical.

-Scott Yanow

Contents

Introduction; Mr. Broadway; Koto Song; Sweet Georgia Brown; Forty Days; You Go to My Head; Take Five; St. Louis Blues.

Dave Brubeck, Piano; Paul Desmond, Alto Sax; Eugene Wright, Bass; Joe Morello, Drums.

Live recording.