Michael Cochrane Quartet: Cutting Edge

While not without its moments of collective risk-taking, this set falls into the category of conservative mainstream fare that SteepleChase is known for and in Cochrane they have a solid pianist who has learned his lessons well. He certainly knows how to pace a set, the ten selections including some top-drawer standards and four of his own well-developed lines.

Cochrane, bassist Ron McClure, and drummer Yoron Israel go it as a trio for Bud Powell’s “Celia” and “I Thought About You,” while the rest of the date features the lead voice of alto saxophonist David Gross. A new name to this reviewer, Gross speaks volumes with a tart yet seductive tone that puts him in the same league with fellow alto man Jon Gordon. In the final analysis, everything sits just right with The Cutting Edge, even if doesn’t quite live up to the implications of its title.

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