Mabern’s connection with Smoke, the New York club at 2751 Broadway, dates back to 1999 when he played its opening night and continued until his death 20 years later.

Starting in 2017, he headed a three-week, end-of-the year tribute to John Coltrane and this is the last of three albums drawn from the 2018 event. Its seven-track selection concentrates on compositions directly connected to the past master himself, with the 81-year old Mabern very firmly in charge, and surrounded by his ‘cats’, some of whom had been his students at William Paterson College where he taught for some 40 years. Mabern’s son Michael writes an affectionate booklet note and his daughter Roxanne gives the album her personal endorsement.

The first thing to say is that there is nothing reverential about these performances: they’re full- on, all the way, this perhaps the best form of homage to so titanic a figure. ‘Dahomey Dance’ swings hard with Davis prominent but it’s the clarion fanfare of ‘Blue Train’ which makes the hair stand on end, as it first did all those years ago, with Alexander straight in, his muscular tenor at full tilt, the momentum generated by Webber and Farnsworth, complemented by Mabern’s chord-based drive. ‘Impressions’ is another fast-moving piece, its pace quite exhilarating as Herring takes off, in searing form.

Even ‘My Favourite Things’ is taken at quite a clip, with both Webber and Farnsworth soloing at length, Mabern percussive in the Tyner manner. ‘Dear Lord’ is quieter as might be expected, Mabern’s keyboard patterns church-based and evocative. ‘Straight Street’ is voiced in Blue Note style, probably the best-directed ensemble piece, Herring triumphant. Rest assured, this is no mediocre swansong, rather a superb way to remember Mabern and his profound impact on these musicians and on the music itself.