Preceded by the loss of Scott LaFaro, and Evans's subsequent depression and formation of the lower-key trio with Chuck Israels, the arrival of the original Interplay session (now in its 50-years-later public-domain reincarnation) was/is a breath of fresh air. Using Hubbard and Hall as front-line, Evans plays his title blues and five standards, with a freedom that makes for an ‘organised jam’ feel that's not typical of the pianist but brings out the best from all concerned, the version of ‘You And The Night And The Music’ being exemplary. The date with Sims replacing Hubbard, only a month later, remained largely unreleased until the early-1980s double-LP reproduced here, and is comparatively tentative although it contains the first versions of ‘Time Remembered’ and ‘My Bells’, which became Evans evergreens. The two 1957 bonus sessions, led by Knepper and Shihab, are from albums where Evans only played on some tracks and then rather subordinately, but fit well with the preceding material.