Almost sixty years on, and with the piano lid now closed, it’s possible to see all the work as of a piece and a process of evolution. At no point, though, was Silver more completely on point and exuberantly creative as in the period documented here. There is far more to the Silver story than these live performances, but they stand on their own terms as gently chiding reminders of Silver’s role in jazz history. If the jury really is still out, this reissue should provide the clinching evidence. – Brian Morton