Born in Bermuda, but raised from an early age in New York, Alan Silva was a key member of the 1960s free jazz revolution, playing bass with such towering figures as Cecil Taylor, Albert Ayler and Sun Ra. His move to France in the early '70s reduced his visibility on the world stage, but he has continued to pursue an experimental route, most notably with his Celestrial Communications Orchestra, an occasional vehicle for his dedication to large scale group improvisation.

In the early '90s he began to play electronic keyboards, claiming that his bass playing no longer surprised him, and he has developed an entirely distinctive approach to the analogue synthesiser, most particularly in the 'In The Tradition' trio with German trombonist Johannes Bauer and British percussionist Roger Turner. He does, though, continue to play bass, returning regularly to New York to work with fellow bassist William Parker at the annual Vision Festival.