I would never pretend to be an Evans scholar, or even expert, but I am an unabashed fan who loves the man's playing and writing; so every release from the endlessly capacious Evans vaults is eagerly awaited chez moi. This double set (triple if you’re a vinyl nut), released for Record Store Day (22 April) is among the very best of the recent run of archive Evans sets.

It shows the great pianist in six different settings, from solo through to orchestral. Of these, the ones I was looking forward to most were the sessions with NHØP – if anyone could rekindle some of the old Evans-LaFaro magic, the great Dane could.

The first eight tracks, from 1965 and in a trio setting with either Alan Dawson or Alex Riel in the drum seat, don't disappoint; they are simply a joy to listen to, with Evans’ touch as light as a feather, his mood upbeat, confident – almost playful – and his playing ingenious, bringing freshness to even the most familiar tunes. NHØP and the two drummers each swing beautifully behind him, making these two of the most satisfying Evans trios I have ever heard.

The pianist was starting to think more ambitiously and expansively during the mid-1960s, culminating in the lush ‘orchestral suite’ here from 1969, arranged by Palle Mikkelborg, which sees Bill again in an outgoing mood; it's great, but there's not enough Evans. So it is with excitement we return on the second disc to the trio format of which he was the master, with two slick but entertainingly inventive sessions, from 1966 and 69 with the faithful Eddie Gomez plus Riel and Morrell respectively. The six unaccompanied piano pieces from November 1969 are a wonderful bonus and give an indication of where Evans’ head was at the time (in a good place, on this evidence) – and the version of ‘My Funny Valentine’ is just killer.

Interestingly, there's an emphasis throughout this double set on Evans’ own compositions, which might be a reflection of his confidence during this period.

Top-notch music then, and the superb sound quality and excellent packaging and booklet make this a must-buy.