In 1998, Columbia reissued a bunch of CDs by the
Dave Brubeck Quartet, often adding one or two previously unissued selections to the sets.
Buried Treasures: Recorded Live in Mexico City, however, is something different, for none of the music had been out before. Recorded live in 1967 during a tour of Mexico that also resulted in the album
Bravo! Brubeck!, the set features the classic
Brubeck Quartet (with altoist
Paul Desmond, bassist
Eugene Wright and drummer
Joe Morello) performing seven selections they had previously recorded, which was probably why this particular music stayed in the vaults for decades. The quality is certainly quite high, with
Brubeck and
Desmond really digging into such songs as "Koto Song" (coming up with some inspired ideas over its vamp), "You Go to My Head," a lengthy "St. Louis Blues," and a fairly concise version of "Take Five," one of the few versions by
Brubeck of the hit song that does not have a drum solo. Suffice to say,
Dave Brubeck fans only need to be notified of two things: they do not already own this music, and the
Quartet is heard throughout in prime form. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow