San Franciscan Cochran, once known as Bayeté, and now in his 70th year, came to early prominence with the likes of Bobby Hutcherson and Stanley Turrentine in the 1970s. Thereafter he dallied with the avant-garde and jazz fusion, and was in and out of the wider rock scene, also writing for films. Now, though, he has returned to his acoustic roots in this invigorating 2015 trio set, some 40-plus years since he last appeared on record as leader.

Given that most of his 15 selections are familiar, his methodology can best be described as re-invention and creative ingenuity. He likes to take each piece apart, using Leftwich's very assured bass lines as his counterpoint, each routine quite canny, before he moves into an engaging swing feeling, the support of Leftwich and Carvin on point. ‘I Got Rhythm’ starts as a tango before escalating into a romping, up-tempo interpretation, the harmonies quite oblique. Elsewhere, Monk's ‘Bemsha Swing’ comes on like ‘Blues March’ and he handles Brubeck's ‘The Duke’ by first hinting at the melody before he takes it over; the same goes for ‘Don’t Get around Much Anymore’, re-harmonised and given quite a seeing to. As if to stress his classical training, he also offers his and Leftwich's take on Bach's lovely ‘Prelude XX’ and then plays Legrand's wistful ‘You Must Believe in Spring’ as a solo. Cochran says he take his musical cues from a variety of sources and that may be so, but this is trio jazz of genuine quality, replete with surprises and rhythmic variety, the dynamic often recalling Ahmad Jamal, apparently an early influence. Shame the session took so long to appear.