Michael Cochrane, born in Peekskill, New York, is a respected New York-area pianist, composer, arranger, and educator based in the tri-state region since 1974. A Boston University alumnus with a five-decade career, he has performed and recorded with Sonny Fortune, Michael Brecker, Chico Freeman, Clark Terry, Eddie Gomez, and others. His nimble, tasteful style draws from Cedar Walton, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock, and he leads various groups while releasing albums as a bandleader.

Bassist Calvin Hill is a six-decade jazz veteran who has collaborated with icons like McCoy Tyner, Max Roach, George Coleman, Joanne Brackeen, and Pharoah Sanders. He frequently partners with Cochrane in projects, having begun their careers together in Boston. This early connection has fostered a deep, enduring musical bond that continues to shape their work.

Alto saxophonist Julien Hucq, originally from Belgium and now New York-based, leads his Julien Hucq Trio/Quartet and tours extensively across Europe and the U.S. He has performed at venues like Birdland, Minton’s Playhouse, and festivals including Montreux Jazz Festival and Warsaw Jazz Days. His versatile style spans straight-ahead jazz, bebop, and Latin jazz, with collaborations including Claudio Roditi, Lonnie Plaxico, and Omar Hakim; he has often recorded and toured with Cochrane and Hill.

Drummer Alan Nelson, a master known for his distinctive “Philly Tip” swing rooted in Philadelphia traditions, started as a tap and African dancer before shifting to hand drums and traps. Influenced by Norman Connors, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, and especially Max Roach, his career includes work with James Moody, Sonny Stitt, Cecil McBee, and a 12-year association with Hannibal Marvin Peterson. He and Michael have collaborated extensively in the cooperative band Lines of Reason.

The Michael Cochrane Quartet regularly performs at Mezzrow and Smalls Jazz Club in New York City, offering sophisticated, swinging takes on standards and Cochrane’s originals. Their chemistry stems from deep mutual respect and shared history, including Michael and Calvin’s Boston beginnings, Michael’s longstanding work with Alan in Lines of Reason, and recent European tours and recordings with Julien.