Born September 4, 1948, in Peekskill, New York, Michael Cochrane is a tri-state-based jazz pianist renowned for his introspective swing style, blending influences from Bach to Thelonious Monk. Critics place him in the lineage of Tommy Flanagan, Cedar Walton, and Barry Harris.

Since 1974 in the New York area, he has performed and recorded with legends including Sonny Fortune, Michael Brecker, Tom Harrell, Clark Terry, Eddie Gomez, Chico Freeman, and many others.

He has appeared at iconic venues like the Village Vanguard, Blue Note, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Carnegie Hall, Birdland, Smoke, and Smalls, plus international tours across Europe, Canada, Japan, and beyond.

As a leader, Cochrane has released over ten acclaimed albums on Soul Note and SteepleChase (e.g., Elements, Cutting Edge).

An educator with a Master's in Music Education (NYU, 1985), he has taught at Princeton, Rutgers, and other institutions. Teachers include Jaki Byard and Madame Margaret Chaloff.

He has authored piano instruction books published by Second Floor Music/Hal Leonard and others, and endorses Superscope Technologies.